Control method for photographing using unmanned aerial vehicle, photographing method using unmanned aerial vehicle, mobile terminal, and unmanned aerial vehicle

ABSTRACT

A multimedia synchronization method is performed by an aircraft that is wirelessly connected to a plurality of mobile terminals. After receiving a first authorized-user identifier sent by a first mobile terminal, the aircraft receives an aircraft operation command and a photographing command sent by the first mobile terminal. The aircraft performs aircraft flight control according to the aircraft operation command and collects multimedia data in a target photographing region according to the photographing command. Finally, the aircraft stores the multimedia data for which the first authorized-user identifier is used as an index identifier. The aircraft synchronizes the multimedia data to the first mobile terminal and a second mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of: (i) U.S. patent application Ser.No. 15/957,749, entitled “UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE PHOTOGRAPHING CONTROLMETHOD, UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD, MOBILE TERMINALAND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE” filed on Apr. 19, 2018, which is acontinuation-in-part of (ii) PCT/CN2016/082610, entitled “UNMANNEDAERIAL VEHICLE PHOTOGRAPHING CONTROL METHOD, UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLEPHOTOGRAPHING METHOD, MOBILE TERMINAL AND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE” filedon May 19, 2016, which claims the benefit of Chinese Patent ApplicationNo. 201510741059.0, filed with the State Intellectual Property Office ofthe People's Republic of China on Nov. 4, 2015, and entitled “UNMANNEDAERIAL VEHICLE PHOTOGRAPHING CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS, UNMANNEDAERIAL VEHICLE PHOTOGRAPHING METHOD, AND UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE”; (iii)PCT/CN2016/082925, entitled “METHOD FOR PROVIDING INTERACTIVE DRONECONTROL INTERFACE, PORTABLE ELECTRONIC APPARATUS AND STORAGE MEDIUM”filed on May 20, 2016, which claims the benefit of Chinese PatentApplication No. 201510741750.9, filed with the State IntellectualProperty Office of the People's Republic of China on Nov. 4, 2015, andentitled “INTERACTIVE METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROL INTERFACE OFUNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE”; (iv) PCT/CN2016/083287, entitled “AIRCRAFTCONTROL METHOD, MOBILE TERMINAL AND STORAGE MEDIUM” filed on May 25,2016, which claims the benefit of Chinese Patent Application No.201510919245.9 filed with the State Intellectual Property Office of thePeople's Republic of China on Dec. 10, 2015, and entitled “AIRCRAFTCONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS” and (v) PCT/CN2016/084973, entitled“MULTIMEDIA SYNCHRONIZATION METHOD AND SYSTEM, AERIAL VEHICLE, ANDSTORAGE MEDIUM” filed on Jun. 6, 2016, which claims the benefit ofChinese Patent Application No. 201510981628.9, filed with the StateIntellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China on Dec.23, 2015, and entitled “MULTIMEDIA SYNCHRONIZATION METHOD, DEVICE ANDSYSTEM”, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in theirentirety.

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of unmanned aerialvehicles (UAV), and in particular, to a method of photographing using aUAV, an interface interaction method for operating a UAV a photographingmethod using a UAV, a mobile terminal, a multimedia synchronizationmethod and system, and a storage medium.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

As various aircrafts emerge, more and more users want to use a mobileterminal to operate an aircraft. An aircraft can be operated to takepictures at places beyond the reach of people. Aircrafts are nowadayswidely applied to industry, life, and entertainment. Generally, apicture or a video taken by an aircraft can only be stored locally inthe aircraft. After the aircraft finishes photographing, a storagedevice such as an SD memory card used in the aircraft is removed andthen connected to a computer for viewing. How to synchronize multimediabetween a mobile terminal and an aircraft is a problem that needs to beresolved.

A UAV is a remotely piloted unmanned aircraft. Different types of UAVsinclude a helicopter UAV, a fixed-wing UAV, a multi-rotary-wing UAV, ablimp UAV, a flexible-wing UAV, and the like. UAVs are originally usedfor military applications, and are mainly used as surveillance aircraftsand target drones.

Existing manners of operating a UAV include using a transmission signalof an auxiliary remote control to operate a UAV and using a mobile phoneto operate a UAV by using a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signal transmitted by theUAV. When a remote control is used to operate a UAV, if an image takenby the UAV needs to be displayed in real time, an image relay needs tobe added. The UAV converts a picture into a signal and sends the signalto the relay. A mobile phone, a tablet computer or the like receives, inreal time by using a Wi-Fi signal transmitted by the connected relay,the image taken by the UAV. This operation manner has high costs andrequires a large volume.

When a mobile phone is used to operate a UAV, a virtual joystick isusually displayed on a screen of the mobile phone to control the UAV. Auser needs to focus on the virtual joystick on the screen. Moreover,because an operation interface and an image transmission interface ofthe UAV are separate, the user needs to use the virtual joystick toperform continuous adjustment operations on the UAV. Because the virtualjoystick has relatively low feedback performance, the user needs to behighly skilled to perform precise operations, causing great difficultyin use by the user.

As production costs of UAVs decrease, UAVs are gradually used forcivilian applications. Currently, a photographing apparatus may bemounted on a UAV, and a user may remotely control the UAV to implementaerial photography, so as to provide the user with new photographingangles. This is applicable to both portrait photography and landscapephotography.

However, it is fairly difficult to operate a UAV, and even moredifficult to control a photographing apparatus to capture an image. Auser needs to reach a specific level of operation skills. It isparticularly difficult for a novice user of a UAV. Therefore, atpresent, complex operations are involved to capture an image by using aUAV, and an improvement needs to be made.

SUMMARY

According to various embodiments of the present application, amultimedia synchronization method and system, an aircraft, and a storagemedium that are disclosed in the present application resolve one or moreproblems discussed in background.

According a first aspect of the present application, a multimediasynchronization method is performed by an aircraft that is wirelesslyconnected to a plurality of mobile terminals. After receiving a firstauthorized-user identifier sent by a first mobile terminal, the aircraftreceives an aircraft operation command and a photographing command sentby the first mobile terminal. The aircraft performs aircraft flightcontrol according to the aircraft operation command and collectsmultimedia data in a target photographing region according to thephotographing command. Finally, the aircraft stores the multimedia datafor which the first authorized-user identifier is used as an indexidentifier. The aircraft synchronizes the multimedia data to the firstmobile terminal and a second mobile terminal that accesses themultimedia data.

According to a second aspect of the present application, a mobileterminal includes one or more processors, memory and a plurality ofcomputer readable instructions stored in the memory. The computerreadable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors,cause the one or more processors to perform the aforementioned method.

According to a third aspect of the present application, a non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium stores instructions that, when executedby a mobile terminal having one or more processors, cause the one ormore processors to perform the aforementioned method.

Details of one or more embodiments of the present invention are providedin the following accompanying drawings and descriptions. Other features,objectives, and advantages of the present disclosure will becomeapparent from the specification, accompanying drawings, and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To describe the technical solutions of the embodiments of the presentinvention or the existing technology more clearly, the following brieflyintroduces the accompanying drawings required for describing theembodiments or the existing technology. Apparently, the accompanyingdrawings in the following description show only some embodiments of thepresent invention, and a person of ordinary skill in the art may stillderive other drawings from these accompanying drawings without creativeefforts.

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an application environment of a control systemfor photographing using a UAV in some embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a compositional structure of a mobileterminal in some embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a compositional structure of a UAV insome embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of a control method for photographingusing a UAV in some embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a UAV-photographing page displayed by amobile terminal in some embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a UAV flying along a fixed trajectoryrelative to a locked target according to an acquired flight parameter insome embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a UAV flying along a fixed trajectoryrelative to a locked target according to an acquired flight parameter inanother embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of a target locking page displayed by amobile terminal in some embodiments;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a UAV flying along a preset circularflight trajectory on a horizontal plane in an automatic photographingmode without a locked target in some embodiments;

FIG. 10 is a schematic flowchart of steps of obtaining a combinedoperation command in some embodiments;

FIG. 11 is a schematic flowchart of a photographing method using a UAVin some embodiments;

FIG. 12 is a schematic flowchart of steps of sequentially performing,when a preset automatic photographing mode is an automatic photographingmode with a locked target, a corresponding series of actions accordingto a combined operation command to capture an image;

FIG. 13 is a schematic flowchart of steps of sequentially performing,when a preset automatic photographing mode is an automatic photographingmode without a locked target, a corresponding series of actionsaccording to a combined operation command to capture an image in someembodiments;

FIG. 14 is a schematic flowchart of steps of sequentially performing,when a preset automatic photographing mode is an automatic photographingmode without a locked target, a corresponding series of actionsaccording to a combined operation command to capture an image in someembodiments;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of an interface interaction method for operatinga UAV in some embodiments;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of an interface for switching a controlmode in some embodiments;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of operating an aircraft in someembodiments;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of controlling a lens in someembodiments;

FIG. 19 is a schematic flowchart of a method for operating an aircraftin some embodiments;

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram of a displayed presentation page of amobile terminal in some embodiments;

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram of an aircraft operation interfacedisplayed by a mobile terminal in some embodiments;

FIG. 22 is a schematic flowchart of a step of operating an aircraftaccording to a touch operation in a second touch control region in someembodiments;

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram of an aircraft operation interface insome embodiments;

FIG. 24 is a schematic flowchart of a step of obtaining an aircraftoperation command according to sensor data in some embodiments;

FIG. 25 is a schematic diagram of gestures of a user holding a firsttouch control region and shaking a mobile terminal in four maindirections to operate an aircraft to perform four actions respectivelyin some embodiments;

FIG. 26 is a schematic diagram of an example of a mobile terminalperforming an action for a user holding a first touch control region andshaking the mobile terminal in a first direction in some embodiments;

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram of an example of a mobile terminalperforming an action for a user holding a first touch control region andshaking the mobile terminal in a second direction in some embodiments;

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram of an example of a mobile terminalperforming an action for a user holding a first touch control region andshaking the mobile terminal in a third direction in some embodiments;

FIG. 29 is a schematic diagram of an example of a mobile terminalperforming an action for a user holding a first touch control region andshaking the mobile terminal in a fourth direction in some embodiments;

FIG. 30 is a schematic flowchart of a step of selecting a presetautomatic operation mode to operate an aircraft in some embodiments;

FIG. 31 is a flowchart of a multimedia synchronization method in someembodiments;

FIG. 32A is a schematic diagram of an interface for downloading athumbnail in some embodiments;

FIG. 32B is a schematic diagram of an interface for displaying athumbnail in some embodiments;

FIG. 32C is a schematic diagram of an interface for providing a previewof a thumbnail in some embodiments;

FIG. 32D is a schematic diagram of an interface for selecting multimediadata of a friend in some embodiments; and

FIG. 32E is a schematic diagram of an interface for prompting thatmultimedia data of a friend may be downloaded in some embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of thepresent disclosure more comprehensible, the present disclosure isdescribed in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawingsand embodiments. It should be understood that, specific embodimentsdescribed herein are merely used to explain the present disclosureinstead of limiting the present disclosure.

As shown in FIG. 1, in some embodiments, a control system 100 forphotographing using a UAV is provided. The control system 100 forphotographing using a UAV includes a mobile terminal 102 and a UAV 104.A wireless connection is established between the mobile terminal 102 andthe UAV 104. Data is transmitted between the mobile terminal 102 and theUAV 104 by using the wireless connection. The UAV 104 may be any one ofa fixed-wing UAV, a rotary-wing UAV, a flexible-wing UAV, aflapping-wing UAV, and a blimp UAV.

As shown in FIG. 2, in some embodiments, a mobile terminal 102 isprovided. The mobile terminal 102 includes a processor, a non-volatilestorage medium, a memory, a communications apparatus, a display screen,and an input apparatus that are connected through a system bus. Theprocessor has a calculation function and a function of controlling themobile terminal 102 to work. The processor is configured to perform acontrol method for photographing using a UAV. The non-volatile storagemedium includes at least one of a magnetic storage medium, an opticalstorage medium, and a flash memory storage medium. The non-volatilestorage medium stores an operating system. The non-volatile storagemedium or the memory may store computer readable instructions. Thecomputer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, causethe processor to perform the control method for photographing using aUAV. The memory is configured to provide a high-speed cache to theoperating system and for the computer readable instructions. Thecommunications apparatus is configured to perform wireless communicationwith a UAV 104. The display screen includes at least one of a liquidcrystal display screen, a flexible display screen, and an e-ink displayscreen. The input apparatus includes at least one of a physical button,a track ball, a touch panel, and a touch control layer that issuperimposed on the display screen, where the touch control layer andthe display screen are combined to form a touch control screen.

As shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments, a UAV 104 is provided. The UAV104 includes a processor, a non-volatile storage medium, a memory, acommunications apparatus, a flight driving apparatus, a photographingapparatus, and a positioning apparatus that are connected through asystem bus. The processor has a calculation function and a function ofcontrolling the UAV 104 to work. The processor is configured to performa photographing method using a UAV. The non-volatile storage mediumincludes at least one of a magnetic storage medium, an optical storagemedium, and a flash memory storage medium. The non-volatile storagemedium stores an operating system. The non-volatile storage medium andthe memory may store computer readable instructions. The computerreadable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause theprocessor to perform the photographing method using a UAV. The memory isconfigured to provide a high-speed cache to the operating system and forthe computer readable instructions. The communications apparatus isconfigured to perform wireless communication with a mobile terminal 102.The flight driving apparatus is configured to control a UAV flightaction of the UAV 104, and mainly controls a flight speed and a flightdirection of the UAV 104 to control the UAV flight action. For arotary-wing UAV, the flight driving apparatus mainly includes a rotarywing and a rotary-wing control apparatus. The photographing apparatus isconfigured to capture an image. The taken image includes a picture and avideo. The positioning apparatus may be a Global Positioning System(GPS) positioning apparatus, and is configured to locate the UAV 104.

As shown in FIG. 4, in some embodiments, a control method forphotographing using a UAV is provided. This embodiment is described byusing an example in which the method is applied to the mobile terminal102 in the foregoing FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The method specifically includesthe following steps:

Step 402: Acquire a photographing start command.

A photographing application program runs on the mobile terminal. Thephotographing application program may be a built-in system applicationprogram or a third-party application program. The photographingapplication program may be used to implement steps of the control methodfor photographing using a UAV. Specifically, the mobile terminal maymonitor a predefined event, and when detecting the predefined event,acquires the photographing start command. In some embodiments, theterminal may monitor the predefined event and start to measure a timewhen detecting the predefined event. When the measured time reachespreset duration, the terminal acquires the photographing start command.

In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may display a photographingstart control, and monitor an operation on the photographing startcontrol to acquire a corresponding photographing start command. Forexample, the mobile terminal may display a photographing start control502 on a UAV-photographing page shown in FIG. 5. A user may trigger thephotographing start command by clicking the photographing start control502.

An operation on the photographing start control includes at least one ofa cursor click operation, a tap operation, and a gesture operation. Thephotographing start command is used to start to control, according to adetermined preset automatic photographing mode, a UAV to performautomatic photographing.

In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may monitor a shake of the bodyof the mobile terminal. When detecting a shake, the mobile terminalacquires the corresponding photographing start command. In someembodiments, the mobile terminal may monitor a voice command input toacquire a photographing start command in a voice form. In someembodiments, the photographing start command includes a photographicsample. As described below in connection with FIG. 10, the photographicsample is used by the mobile terminal for determining flight parametersand photographing parameters to be transmitted to the UAV for performingthe corresponding photographic tasks.

In some embodiments, the control method for photographing using a UAVfurther includes: determining a preset automatic photographing mode.Specifically, the mobile terminal may determine the preset automaticphotographing mode by using the photographing application program. Thepreset automatic photographing mode is a manner of implementing apredefined automatic photographing action by using a customizedparameter.

In some embodiments, the preset automatic photographing mode includes anautomatic photographing mode with a locked target and an automaticphotographing mode without a locked target. The automatic photographingmode with a locked target is a manner of performing automaticphotographing by using a locked target as a photographed object. Theautomatic photographing mode without a locked target may be referred toas a landscape automatic photographing mode, and is a photographingmanner of performing automatic photographing without using a specifictarget as a photographed object.

In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may select a default presetautomatic photographing mode and determine the default preset automaticphotographing mode as a currently used preset automatic photographingmode. In another embodiment, the mobile terminal may further select apreset automatic photographing mode used during a previous time ofphotographing and determine the preset automatic photographing mode as acurrently used preset automatic photographing mode.

In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may provide multiple optionsfor preset automatic photographing modes, and monitor an operationcommand that is applied on one option to determine a chosen presetautomatic photographing mode, so as to determine the chosen presetautomatic photographing mode as a currently used preset automaticphotographing mode.

For example, after starting a photographing application, the mobileterminal may enter the UAV-photographing page shown in FIG. 5. Twooptions 501 for preset automatic photographing modes, that is, an option501 a for an automatic photographing mode with a locked target and anoption 501 b for an automatic photographing mode without a lockedtarget, are displayed on the UAV-photographing page. The user maydetermine, by clicking the option 501 a, the currently used presetautomatic photographing mode to be the automatic photographing mode witha locked target. Alternatively, the user may determine, by clicking anoption 501 b, the currently used preset automatic photographing mode tobe the automatic photographing mode without a locked target.

Step 404: Read, according to the photographing start command, a presetcombined operation command associated with a preset automaticphotographing mode.

Specifically, after acquiring the photographing start command, themobile terminal may locally read the preset combined operation commandassociated with the determined preset automatic photographing mode. Thecombined operation command is used to trigger a series of sequentialcombined actions of the UAV to accomplish automatic photographing.

In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may periodically check whethera combined operation command associated with the preset automaticphotographing mode exists on a server. If a combined operation commandassociated with the preset automatic photographing mode exists on aserver, the mobile terminal downloads the updated combined operationcommand to update a local preset combined operation command associatedwith the preset automatic photographing mode. In another embodiment,periodical check may be replaced with check performed when an operationthat is triggered by a user and is for updating a combined operationcommand is detected.

In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may download, when receiving anotification that is pushed by the server and is used for updating acombined operation command, the updated combined operation command fromthe server, so as to update the local preset combined operation commandassociated with the preset automatic photographing mode.

Step 406: Send the combined operation command to a UAV, so that the UAVsequentially performs a corresponding series of actions according to thecombined operation command to capture an image.

Specifically, the mobile terminal may send the read combined operationcommand to the UAV by using a wireless connection between the mobileterminal and the UAV. For the wireless connection, a wireless local areanetwork connection such as a Wi-Fi connection or a WAPI connection maybe used, or a normal radio connection may be used. After receiving thecombined operation command sent by the mobile terminal, the UAV performsthe series of actions specified in the combined operation command toaccomplish a task of automatically taking an image.

In some embodiments, the series of actions includes at least one of aUAV flight action, a photographing view adjustment action, and aphotographing parameter adjustment action.

In some embodiments, the UAV flight action includes at least one of aUAV flight-speed adjustment action, a UAV direction adjustment action, aUAV height adjustment action, a UAV hover action, a UAV roll action, anda UAV yaw action.

In some embodiments, the photographing view adjustment action includespanning and zooming of a photographing view. The photographing view is aspatial range photographed by a photographing apparatus of the UAV.Specifically, the mobile terminal may control rotation of the UAV and/orthe photographing apparatus to implement panning of the photographingview, and may further move the UAV or adjust a focal length of thephotographing apparatus to implement zooming of the photographing view.

In some embodiments, a photographing parameter includes at least one ofsensitivity to light (an ISO value), an aperture value, a shutter speed,a focal length, an automatic focusing mode, a metering mode, and whitebalance. The automatic focusing mode includes at least one of a meteringautomatic focusing mode based on measurement of a distance between alens of a photographing apparatus and a photographed target and afocusing-monitoring automatic focusing mode based on clear imaging. Themetering mode includes at least one of a spot metering mode, a partialmetering mode, a center-weighted average metering mode, an averagemetering mode, and a multi-zone metering mode.

In the foregoing control method for photographing using a UAV, after aphotographing start command is detected, a preset combined operationcommand associated with a preset automatic photographing mode may beautomatically read and sent to a UAV. The UAV may sequentially perform aseries of actions according to the combined operation command to capturean image. In this way, a user does not need to directly operate a UAV tofly and perform photographing, and only needs to choose a presetautomatic photographing mode and trigger a photographing start commandto control the UAV to automatically accomplish a photographing task, sothat operations are simplified, and operation convenience is improved.

In some embodiments, the control method for photographing using a UAVfurther includes: receiving the taken image returned by the UAV, andstoring the taken image. Specifically, the UAV may transmit the takenimage to the mobile terminal in real time by using the wirelessconnection, and the mobile terminal receives the image returned by theUAV, and stores the image in a preset directory. In some embodiments,the mobile terminal may receive multiple images continuously taken bythe UAV, pick one image having the highest resolution, and store theimage. In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may receive a series ofimages continuously taken by the UAV, and store the images according toa preset video format.

In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may periodically check whetheran updated preset automatic photographing mode exists on the server, andif the updated preset automatic photographing mode exists, download theupdated preset automatic photographing mode and an associated combinedoperation command, so as to update a local preset automaticphotographing mode and an associated preset combined operation command.In another embodiment, periodic check may be replaced with check upondetection of an operation of updating the combined operation command.

In some embodiments, when receiving a notification that is pushed by theserver and is for updating a preset automatic photographing mode, themobile terminal may download an updated preset automatic photographingmode and an associated combined operation command from the server, so asto update a local preset automatic photographing mode and an associatedpreset combined operation command.

In some embodiments, when the preset automatic photographing mode is anautomatic photographing mode with a locked target, step 406 includes:sending the combined operation command to the UAV, so that the UAVacquires a locked target, a preset flight parameter, and a presetphotographing parameter according to the combined operation command, soas to keep the locked target in a photographing view, adjust, accordingto the flight parameter, a spatial location of the UAV relative to thelocked target to fly, and capture an image according to thephotographing parameter in flight.

Specifically, the automatic photographing mode with a locked target isan automatic photographing mode in which an object to be photographed isa locked target. The locked target may be any target that can berecognized from the photographing view through image recognition, andincludes at least one of a person, a building, a vehicle, a plant, andthe like.

When the preset automatic photographing mode is an automaticphotographing mode with a locked target, the UAV acquires a lockedtarget, a preset flight parameter, and a preset photographing parameteraccording to the corresponding combined operation command. Further, theUAV keeps the locked target in the photographing view, and fliesaccording to the acquired flight parameter, so as to adjust the spatiallocation relative to the locked target in flight, enabling the UAV tofly along a fixed trajectory relative to the locked target and capturean image according to the acquired photographing parameter in flight.

The flight parameter includes a change parameter of the spatial locationof the UAV relative to the locked target, and may further include aflight speed parameter or a body rotation parameter. A spatial locationand a flight direction of the UAV may be determined according to thechange parameter of the spatial location, a flight speed of the UAV maybe determined according to the flight speed parameter, and body rotationof the UAV in flight may be adjusted according to the body rotationparameter.

The UAV may specifically keep the locked target in the photographingview according to at least one of the body rotation parameter, a lensturning parameter, and a focal length adjustment parameter. The bodyrotation parameter is included in the flight parameter, and the lensturning parameter and the focal length adjustment parameter are includedin the photographing parameter.

When adjusting the spatial location of the UAV relative to the lockedtarget, the UAV may adjust a location of the UAV in a three-dimensionalcoordinate system according to the change parameter of the spatiallocation of the UAV relative to the locked target, so that arelationship between the location of the UAV in the three-dimensionalcoordinate system and a location of the locked target in thethree-dimensional coordinate system meets the foregoing change parameterof the spatial location.

For example, referring to FIG. 6, a UAV 104 may fly along a fixedtrajectory 602 relative to a locked target 601 according to the acquiredflight parameter. The UAV 104 adjusts a photographing view in flight tokeep a locked target 601 in the photographing view, and takes an imageaccording to the acquired photographing parameter. In this way, a videoor a composite picture that includes multiple angles of the lockedtarget may be photographed.

There may be various fixed trajectories of the UAV relative to thelocked target. For example, the fixed trajectory may be a trajectory inone plane, for example, a circular trajectory in a horizontal plane or avertical plane shown in FIG. 6. The fixed trajectory may be athree-dimensional trajectory, for example, a spiral trajectory shown inFIG. 7. In FIG. 7, the UAV starts from the ground and spirals up along aspiral trajectory with the locked target 601 being the center, till theUAV reaches a preset height or the locked target leaves thephotographing view.

In some embodiments, when acquiring a locked target according to thecombined operation command, the UAV may search the photographing viewfor a target, make a mark on the found target in a preview image of thephotographing view, and return the preview image to the mobile terminal.The mobile terminal may display the preview image and the mark on thefound target, and monitor a selection command on the displayed mark, soas to use a target corresponding to a mark selected by a selectioncommand as the locked target and notify the UAV of the target, to enablethe UAV to obtain the locked target.

For example, the mobile terminal may provide a target locking page shownin FIG. 8, so as to display, on the target locking page, a preview image801 provided by the UAV, and display, in the preview image 801, a mark802 on the found target. The mark 802 includes a mark 802 a on aportrait target and a mark 802 b on a building target. The user mayclick the mark 802 a to choose the corresponding portrait target. Thetarget locking page may further provide a joystick control 803. Themobile terminal monitors an operation on the joystick control 803 toadjust the photographing view of the UAV.

In some embodiments, when acquiring a locked target according to thecombined operation command, the UAV may search the photographing viewfor targets, and automatically determine the locked target from thefound targets according to a preset strategy. For example, the UAV maydetermine a locked target according to a priority of a locked target,for example, preferentially use a portrait target as a locked target; ormay further determine a target having the largest area as a lockedtarget.

In the foregoing embodiment, in an automatic photographing mode with alocked target, a mobile terminal may control a UAV to use a lockedtarget as a photographed object to automatically fly and performphotographing to obtain an image. In this way, a user does not need tolearn complex techniques of operating a UAV and performing photographingto photograph an image of a specific target at a particular level, sothat operations are simple, and operation convenience is improved.

In some embodiments, when the preset automatic photographing mode is anautomatic photographing mode without a locked target, step 406 includes:sending the combined operation command to the UAV, so that the UAVacquires a preset flight parameter and a preset photographing parameteraccording to the combined operation command, and when the UAV iscontrolled according to the flight parameter to fly along a presetflight trajectory, the UAV takes an image according to the photographingparameter.

Specifically, in an automatic photographing mode without a lockedtarget, the UAV does not use a specific target as a photographed object,but instead, is controlled by using the combined operation command tofly along the preset flight trajectory and capture an image according tothe preset photographing parameter in flight. In this way, the automaticphotographing mode without a locked target is particularly suitable forphotographing of a landscape image.

The preset flight trajectory may be any predefined usable flighttrajectory, for example, a closed shape or an open shape in any plane inspace, for example, a closed shape such as a circle or a polygon, or mayfurther be an open shape such as an arc and a broken line. The presetflight trajectory may further be a three-dimensional shape in space suchas a spiral trajectory.

For example, referring to FIG. 9, in the automatic photographing modewithout a locked target, the UAV may fly along a preset circular flighttrajectory on a horizontal plane. Being a point of tangency, the UAV hasa tangent line on the preset flight trajectory. When flying along thepreset flight trajectory, the UAV spins in a direction opposite to arotating direction of the preset flight trajectory, so that thephotographing view of the UAV is kept on one side of a tangent linecorresponding to a point of tangency at which the UAV is currently at,so as to capture an image. In this way, a horizontal panoramic landscapeimage may be automatically photographed.

In the foregoing embodiment, in an automatic photographing mode withouta locked target, a mobile terminal may control a UAV to automaticallyfly along a preset flight trajectory and perform photographing to obtainan image. In this way, a user does not need to learn complex techniquesof operating a UAV and performing photographing to photograph alandscape image at a particular level, so that operations are simple,and operation convenience is improved.

In some embodiments, when the preset automatic photographing mode is anautomatic photographing mode without a locked target, step 406 includes:acquiring specified geographical location information, sending thegeographical location information and the combined operation command tothe UAV, so that the UAV acquires a preset flight parameter and a presetphotographing parameter according to the combined operation command, andafter the UAV flies to the geographical location information, controls,according to the flight parameter, the UAV to fly along a preset flighttrajectory and capture an image according to the photographingparameter.

Specifically, the geographical location information is information usedfor representing a geographical location, where longitude and latitudeare used for representation, or three-dimensional coordinates in athree-dimensional coordinate system are used for representation.

When the mobile terminal acquires specified geographical locationinformation, the mobile terminal may specifically acquire inputgeographical location information as the specified geographical locationinformation. The mobile terminal may alternatively receive a previewimage transmitted in real time by the UAV and display the preview image,choose a geographical location according to an operation of the user onthe geographical location in the preview image, and acquire informationabout the chosen geographical location as the specified geographicallocation information. The mobile terminal may alternatively display anelectronic map of a current region of the UAV, choose a geographicallocation according to an operation of the user on the electronic map,and acquire information about the chosen geographical location as thespecified geographical location information.

The UAV may acquire the specified geographical location information andcurrent geographical location information of the UAV, and may determinea flight path of the UAV according to the two pieces of geographicallocation information, so that the UAV automatically flies to thespecified geographical location information. Next, the UAV may fly alongthe preset flight trajectory under the control of the combined operationcommand, and capture an image according to the preset photographingparameter in flight.

For example, the mobile terminal may display, on the UAV-photographingpage shown in FIG. 5, an input control 503 for geographical locationinformation of fixed-point photographing. The user inputs GPSgeographical location information in the input control 503, and mayspecified geographical location information of fixed-pointphotographing, so as to control the UAV to start, when flying to thespecified geographical location information, to automatically performphotographing along the preset flight trajectory.

In the foregoing embodiment, in an automatic photographing mode withouta locked target, a mobile terminal may control a UAV to start, at aspecific position, to automatically fly along a preset flight trajectoryand perform photographing to obtain an image. In this way, a user doesnot need to learn complex techniques of operating a UAV and performingphotographing to photograph a landscape image at a specific position byusing the UAV, so that operations are convenient. In addition, automaticfixed-point photographing without a locked target can further satisfy aphotographing requirement of the user.

As shown in FIG. 10, in some embodiments, the control method forphotographing using a UAV further includes a step of obtaining acombined operation command, and specifically includes the followingsteps:

Step 1002: Acquire a photographic sample.

In some embodiments, a mobile terminal may acquire a photograph taken bya professional photographer as a photographic sample. For example, themobile terminal may download the photographic sample from the Internetbased on a search result conducted by the user of the mobile terminalusing, e.g., a text message as a search term. The acquired photographicsample matches a preset automatic photographing mode. The photographicsample includes at least one of a picture sample and a video sample.

Step 1004: Quantify a photographing location parameter and aphotographing parameter from the photographic sample.

Specifically, the photographing location parameter may be quantifiedaccording to a location and a deformation of an article in thephotographic sample. The photographing location parameter is a parameterfor representing a location of a photographing apparatus thatphotographs the photographic sample, for example, a parameterrepresenting side-view photographing, a parameter representing top-viewphotographing, and a parameter representing bottom-view photographing.

For a building target or a portrait target in the photographic sample,locations and deformations of a target in side-view photographing,top-view photographing, and bottom-view photographing have differences.The photographing location parameter may be quantified by using thedifferences. For a video sample, a series of sequential photographinglocation parameters may be quantified by tracking the movement of anarticle. Errors may exist between the quantified photographing locationparameters and actual locations of the photographing apparatus.

The photographic sample photographed by the professional photographermay directly carry a photographing parameter. The mobile terminal maydirectly use the carried photographing parameter as a quantifiedphotographing parameter. If the photographic sample does not carry aphotographing parameter, elements forming the photographic sample may beanalyzed, so as to quantify the photographing parameter according to acombination of elements. For example, a relatively small aperture valueand a relatively small focal length are generally used for aphotographic sample having landscape elements. A relatively largeaperture value and a medium focal length are generally used for aphotographic sample having portrait elements. A relatively fast shutterspeed and relatively low sensitivity to light are generally used for aphotographic sample having elements with sufficient light. A relativelyslow shutter speed and relatively high sensitivity to light aregenerally used for a photographic sample having elements withinsufficient light. A relatively fast shutter speed, a relatively largeaperture value, and relatively high sensitivity to light are generallyused for a photographic sample having moving-article elements. Arelatively slow shutter speed, a relatively small aperture value, andrelatively low sensitivity to light are generally used for aphotographic sample having still-article elements. By using variouscombinations of elements, the photographing parameter of thephotographic sample may be quantified.

Step 1006: Calculate a flight parameter of the UAV according to thephotographing location parameter.

Specifically, the photographing location parameter may represent alocation at which the UAV takes an image. A flight trajectory of the UAVis continuous. Here, the flight parameter calculated according to thephotographing location parameter may be used to control the UAV toachieve a complete flight trajectory from a starting location to adestination location via a photographing location at which photographingis performed.

Step 1008: Generate the combined operation command according to thecalculated flight parameter and the quantified photographing parameter.

Specifically, the mobile terminal may generate the combined operationcommand according to the calculated flight parameter and the quantifiedphotographing parameter. The generated combined operation command may bea combined operation command used to trigger a series of sequentialcombined actions of the UAV to accomplish automatic photographing. Thecalculated flight parameter here is used as the preset flight parameterwhen the UAV performs step 406. The quantified photographing parameteris used as the preset photographing parameter when the UAV performs step406.

Step 1010: Associate the generated combined operation command with acorresponding preset automatic photographing mode, and store thecombined operation command and the preset automatic photographing mode.

The mobile terminal associates the generated combined operation commandwith a preset automatic photographing mode matching the photographicsample, and stores the combined operation command and the presetautomatic photographing mode. The preset automatic photographing modehere includes an automatic photographing mode with a locked target andan automatic photographing mode without a locked target.

As noted above, the combined operation command is sent to the UAV 104for performing the predefined photographic operations. In someembodiments, the photographic sample is also sent to the UAV 104, e.g.,when the user selects the automatic photographing mode with a lockedtarget. Once arriving at the designated location, the UAV 104 firstcaptures a picture of the target according to the photographingparameters in the combined operation command. Next the UAV 104 comparesthe target in the captured picture with the photographic sample. Forexample, a similarity measurement between the target in the capturedpicture and the photographic sample is measured using two-dimensioncorrelation or other approaches known in the art. Based on thesimilarity measurement, the UAV 104 then adjusts its photographinglocation parameters or the photographing parameters or both and thencaptures a new picture of the target and calculates the similaritymeasurement repeatedly until a predefined criterion is met, e.g., themaximum of the similarity measurement is deemed to be reached. Next, theUAV 104 returns the last captured picture of the target and thecorresponding photographing location parameters and photographingparameters to the mobile terminal 102. Upon receipt of such information,the mobile terminal 102 then updates the combined operation commandstored in the memory accordingly. In some other embodiments, the UAV 104returns the captured image to the mobile terminal 102 and the mobileterminal 102 then calculates the similarity measurement and theadjustments to the corresponding photographing location parameters andphotographing parameters accordingly and returns the adjusted parametersto the UAV 104 to perform new image capturing operations. By doing so,the UAV 104 can conserve more power for performing other operations thathave to done by the UAV 104 (e.g., flight and/or camera operations,etc.).

In this embodiment, a flight parameter and a photographing parameterthat can be used to take a professional photograph may be quantified byanalyzing a professional photographic sample. In this way, withoutneeding to learn a photographing technique and a method for operating aUAV, a novice user may automatically take a professional photograph byusing a UAV, so that operation convenience is improved.

As shown in FIG. 11, in some embodiments, a photographing method using aUAV is provided. This embodiment is described by using an example inwhich the method is applied to the UAV 104 in the foregoing FIG. 1 andFIG. 3. The method specifically includes the following steps:

Step 1102: Establish a wireless connection with a mobile terminal.

Specifically, the UAV may actively or passively establish a wirelessconnection with the mobile terminal. For the wireless connection, awireless local area network connection such as a Wi-Fi connection or aWAPI connection may be used, or a normal radio connection may be used.

Step 1104: Receive a preset combined operation command that is read andsent by the mobile terminal and corresponds to a preset automaticphotographing mode.

The preset automatic photographing mode is a manner of implementing apredefined automatic photographing action by using a customizedparameter. In some embodiments, the preset automatic photographing modeincludes an automatic photographing mode with a locked target and anautomatic photographing mode without a locked target. The automaticphotographing mode with a locked target is a manner of performingautomatic photographing by using a locked target as a photographedobject. The automatic photographing mode without a locked target may bereferred to as a landscape automatic photographing mode, and is aphotographing manner of performing automatic photographing without usinga specific target as a photographed object.

After determining the preset automatic photographing mode, the mobileterminal acquires a photographing start command, and reads, according tothe photographing start command, the preset combined operation commandassociated with the preset automatic photographing mode. The mobileterminal sends the combined operation command to a UAV, so that the UAVsequentially performs a corresponding series of actions according to thecombined operation command to capture an image.

Step 1106: Sequentially perform a corresponding series of actionsaccording to the combined operation command to capture an image.

Specifically, after receiving the combined operation command sent by themobile terminal, the UAV performs the series of actions specified in thecombined operation command to accomplish a task of automatically takingan image. In some embodiments, the series of actions includes at leastone of a UAV flight action, a photographing view adjustment action, anda photographing parameter adjustment action.

In some embodiments, the UAV flight action includes at least one of aUAV flight-speed adjustment action, a UAV direction adjustment action, aUAV height adjustment action, a UAV hover action, a UAV roll action, anda UAV yaw action.

In some embodiments, the photographing view adjustment action includespanning and zooming of a photographing view. The photographing view is aspatial range photographed by a photographing apparatus of the UAV.Specifically, the mobile terminal may control rotation of the UAV and/orthe photographing apparatus to implement panning of the photographingview, and may further move the UAV or adjust a focal length of thephotographing apparatus to implement zooming of the photographing view.

In some embodiments, a photographing parameter includes at least one ofsensitivity to light, an aperture value, a shutter speed, a focallength, an automatic focusing mode, a metering mode, and white balance.The automatic focusing mode includes at least one of a meteringautomatic focusing mode based on measurement of a distance between alens of a photographing apparatus and a photographed target and afocusing-monitoring automatic focusing mode based on clear imaging. Themetering mode includes at least one of a spot metering mode, a partialmetering mode, a center-weighted average metering mode, an averagemetering mode, and a multi-zone metering mode.

Step 1108: Return the taken image to the mobile terminal.

Specifically, the UAV may transmit the taken image to the mobileterminal in real time by using the wireless connection, and the mobileterminal receives the image returned by the UAV, and stores the image ina preset directory. In some embodiments, the mobile terminal may receivemultiple images continuously taken by the UAV, pick one image having thehighest resolution, and store the image. In some embodiments, the mobileterminal may receive a series of images continuously taken by the UAV,and store the images according to a preset video format.

In the foregoing photographing method using a UAV, communication isperformed with a mobile terminal by using a wireless communicationmanner. After determining a preset automatic photographing mode, themobile terminal may automatically read a corresponding preset combinedoperation command and send the preset combined operation command to aUAV, so that the UAV may sequentially perform a series of actionsaccording to the combined operation command to capture an image. In thisway, a user does not need to directly operate a UAV to fly and performphotographing, and only needs to choose a preset automatic photographingmode, trigger and read a combined operation command corresponding to thepreset automatic photographing mode, and send the combined operationcommand to the UAV, to enable the UAV to automatically accomplish aphotographing task, so that operations are simplified, and operationconvenience is improved.

As shown in FIG. 12, in some embodiments, when the preset automaticphotographing mode is an automatic photographing mode with a lockedtarget, step 1106 includes:

Step 1202: Acquire a locked target, a preset flight parameter, and apreset photographing parameter according to the combined operationcommand.

Specifically, the automatic photographing mode with a locked target isan automatic photographing mode in which an object to be photographed isa locked target. The locked target may be any target that can berecognized from the photographing view through image recognition, andincludes at least one of a person, a building, a vehicle, a plant, andthe like.

In some embodiments, when acquiring a locked target according to thecombined operation command, the UAV may search the photographing viewfor a target, make a mark on the found target in a preview image of thephotographing view, and return the preview image to the mobile terminal.The mobile terminal may display the preview image and the mark on thefound target, and monitor a selection command on the displayed mark, soas to use a target corresponding to a mark selected by a selectioncommand as the locked target and notify the UAV of the target, to enablethe UAV to obtain the locked target.

In some embodiments, when acquiring a locked target according to thecombined operation command, the UAV may search the photographing viewfor targets, and automatically determine the locked target from thefound targets according to a preset strategy. For example, the UAV maydetermine a locked target according to a priority of a locked target,for example, preferentially use a portrait target as a locked target; ormay further determine a target having the largest area as a lockedtarget.

Step 1204: Keep the locked target in the photographing view and adjust aspatial location of the UAV relative to the locked target to flyaccording to the flight parameter.

Specifically, the UAV acquires the locked target, the preset flightparameter, and the preset photographing parameter according to thecorresponding combined operation command. Further, the UAV keeps thelocked target in the photographing view, and flies according to theacquired flight parameter, so as to adjust the spatial location relativeto the locked target in flight, enabling the UAV to fly along a fixedtrajectory relative to the locked target.

The flight parameter includes a change parameter of the spatial locationof the UAV relative to the locked target, and may further include aflight speed parameter or a body rotation parameter. A spatial locationand a flight direction of the UAV may be determined according to thechange parameter of the spatial location, a flight speed of the UAV maybe determined according to the flight speed parameter, and body rotationof the UAV in flight may be adjusted according to the body rotationparameter.

The UAV may specifically keep the locked target in the photographingview according to at least one of the body rotation parameter, a lensturning parameter, and a focal length adjustment parameter. The bodyrotation parameter is included in the flight parameter, and the lensturning parameter and the focal length adjustment parameter are includedin the photographing parameter.

When adjusting the spatial location of the UAV relative to the lockedtarget, the UAV may adjust a location of the UAV in a three-dimensionalcoordinate system according to the change parameter of the spatiallocation of the UAV relative to the locked target, so that arelationship between the location of the UAV in the three-dimensionalcoordinate system and a location of the locked target in thethree-dimensional coordinate system meets the foregoing change parameterof the spatial location.

Step 1206: Capture an image according to the photographing parameter inflight.

Specifically, the UAV takes an image according to the photographingparameter in flight.

In the foregoing embodiment, in an automatic photographing mode with alocked target, a mobile terminal may control a UAV to use a lockedtarget as a photographed object to automatically fly and performphotographing to obtain an image. In this way, a user does not need tolearn complex techniques of operating a UAV and performing photographingto photograph an image of a specific target at a particular level, sothat operations are simple, and operation convenience is improved.

As shown in FIG. 13, in some embodiments, when the preset automaticphotographing mode is an automatic photographing mode without a lockedtarget, step 1106 includes:

Step 1302: Acquire a preset flight parameter and a preset photographingparameter according to the combined operation command.

Step 1304: Control, according to the flight parameter, the UAV to flyalong a preset flight trajectory.

The preset flight trajectory may be any predefined usable flighttrajectory, for example, a closed shape or an open shape in any plane inspace, for example, a closed shape such as a circle or a polygon, or mayfurther be an open shape such as an arc and a broken line. The presetflight trajectory may further be a three-dimensional shape in space suchas a spiral trajectory.

Step 1306: The UAV takes an image according to the photographingparameter in flight.

Specifically, in the automatic photographing mode without a lockedtarget, the UAV does not use a specific target as a photographed object,but instead, is controlled by using the combined operation command tofly along the preset flight trajectory and capture an image according tothe preset photographing parameter in flight. In this way, the automaticphotographing mode without a locked target is particularly suitable forphotographing of a landscape image.

In the foregoing embodiment, in an automatic photographing mode withouta locked target, a mobile terminal may control a UAV to automaticallyfly along a preset flight trajectory and perform photographing to obtainan image. In this way, a user does not need to learn complex techniquesof operating a UAV and performing photographing to photograph alandscape image at a particular level, so that operations are simple,and operation convenience is improved.

As shown in FIG. 14, in some embodiments, when the preset automaticphotographing mode is the automatic photographing mode without a lockedtarget, step 1106 includes:

Step 1402: Receive specified geographical location information sent bythe mobile terminal.

Specifically, the geographical location information is information usedfor representing a geographical location, where longitude and latitudeare used for representation, or three-dimensional coordinates in athree-dimensional coordinate system are used for representation.

When the mobile terminal acquires specified geographical locationinformation, the mobile terminal may specifically acquire inputgeographical location information as the specified geographical locationinformation. The mobile terminal may alternatively receive a previewimage transmitted in real time by the UAV and display the preview image,choose a geographical location according to an operation of the user onthe geographical location in the preview image, and acquire informationabout the chosen geographical location as the specified geographicallocation information. The mobile terminal may alternatively display anelectronic map of a current region of the UAV, choose a geographicallocation according to an operation of the user on the electronic map,and acquire information about the chosen geographical location as thespecified geographical location information.

Step 1404: Acquire a preset flight parameter and a preset photographingparameter according to the combined operation command.

Step 1406: When flying to the geographical location information, the UAVflies along a preset flight trajectory according to the flightparameter.

Step 1408: The UAV takes an image according to the photographingparameter in flight.

Specifically, the UAV may acquire the specified geographical locationinformation and current geographical location information of the UAV,and may determine a flight path of the UAV according to the two piecesof geographical location information, so that the UAV automaticallyflies to the specified geographical location information. Next, the UAVmay fly along the preset flight trajectory under the control of thecombined operation command, and capture an image according to the presetphotographing parameter in flight.

In the foregoing embodiment, in an automatic photographing mode withouta locked target, a mobile terminal may control a UAV to start, at aspecific position, to automatically fly along a preset flight trajectoryand perform photographing to obtain an image. In this way, a user doesnot need to learn complex techniques of operating a UAV 104 andperforming photographing to photograph a landscape image at a specificposition by using the UAV 104, so that operations are convenient. Inaddition, automatic fixed-point photographing without a locked targetcan further satisfy a photographing requirement of the user.

In some embodiments, the combined operation command is obtained throughanalysis according to a photographic sample. Specifically, aphotographing location parameter and a photographing parameter arequantified from the photographic sample, a flight parameter of the UAV104 is calculated according to the photographing location parameter, thecombined operation command is generated according to the calculatedflight parameter and the quantified photographing parameter, and thegenerated combined operation command is further associated with thecorresponding preset automatic photographing mode.

In this embodiment, a flight parameter and a photographing parameterthat can be used to take a professional photograph may be quantified byanalyzing a professional photographic sample. In this way, withoutneeding to learn a photographing technique and a method for operating aUAV 104, a novice user may automatically take a professional photographby using a UAV 104, so that operation convenience is improved.

As noted above, the UAV 104 includes at least two user-controllablemoving components that require user instructions from the mobileterminal 102. First, the UAV 104 itself is a moving component that canat least move up/down, left/right, and forward/backward based on userinstructions. Second, the photographing apparatus of the UAV 104 (e.g.,camera or video camera attached to the UAV 104) is also subject to theuser control through the mobile terminal 102 in order to performuser-designated image capturing operations. The description below inconnection with FIGS. 15-18 is directed to embodiments of controlling aUAV 104 and its associated camera using a graphical user interface onthe mobile terminal.

As shown in FIG. 15, in some embodiments, an interface interactionmethod for operating a UAV 104 and its associated camera is provided.Description is provided by using an example in which the method isapplied to the mobile terminal 102 shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Themethod includes:

Step 1502: Display an image transmission interface on a touchscreen ofthe mobile terminal 102, where the image transmission interface is usedfor displaying a picture captured by a UAV 104.

In this embodiment, the mobile terminal may receive, in real time byusing a wireless communications module, the captured picture transmittedby the UAV 104. The picture captured by the UAV 104 is displayed in realtime on the image transmission interface provided by an applicationrunning in the mobile terminal.

Step 1504: Monitor a touch control signal applied on the touchscreen.

The mobile terminal has a touchscreen, and the touchscreen may be usedto detect a touch control signal applied on the touchscreen. Forexample, a user uses a finger or a stylus to perform a click or a swipeon the touchscreen. The touchscreen may detect the touch control signal.In this embodiment, the image transmission interface and an operationinterface are a same interface, that is, a touch control operation maybe directly performed on the image transmission interface.

Step 1506: If a touch control signal is detected, acquire an operationgesture according to the touch control signal.

In this embodiment, the mobile terminal may monitor, by using thetouchscreen, the touch control signal applied on the touchscreen,specifically, the touch control signal applied on the image transmissioninterface. For example, the user may make a swipe on the imagetransmission interface by using a single finger, or the user may make aswipe on the image transmission interface by using two fingers.According to the touch control signal applied on the image transmissioninterface, operation gestures may be acquired. These operation gesturesinclude, but are not limited to, a movement gesture of a single touchpoint, and a movement gesture of two touch points. Different operationgestures correspond to different operation commands. Therefore, theoperation gestures may be formed on the image transmission interface tooperate the UAV 104 in various ways.

Step 1508: Generate a corresponding operation command according to theoperation gesture, and send the operation command to the UAV 104.

Specifically, different operation gestures correspond to differentoperation commands. A corresponding operation command may be generatedaccording to an operation gesture. For example, during the cameracontrol mode, when the user uses a finger to make a swipe to the righton the image transmission interface displayed by the touchscreen, themobile terminal 102 generates an operation command for correspondinglycontrolling the UAV 104 to move in the right direction; when the useruses a finger to make a swipe to the left on the image transmissioninterface displayed by the touchscreen, the mobile terminal 102generates an operation command for correspondingly controlling the UAV104 to move in the left direction; when the user uses a finger to make aswipe to the top on the image transmission interface displayed by thetouchscreen, the mobile terminal 102 generates an operation command forcorrespondingly controlling the UAV 104 to move in the upward direction;and when the user uses a finger to make a swipe to the bottom on theimage transmission interface displayed by the touchscreen, the mobileterminal 102 generates an operation command for correspondinglycontrolling the UAV 104 to move in the downward direction. But duringthe camera control mode, the same finger gestures is to be construeddifferently. For example, when the user uses a finger to make a swipe tothe right on the image transmission interface displayed by thetouchscreen, the mobile terminal 102 generates an operation command forcorrespondingly controlling a camera's lens to point rightward; when theuser uses a finger to make a swipe to the left on the image transmissioninterface displayed by the touchscreen, the mobile terminal 102generates an operation command for correspondingly controlling the UAV104 to point leftward; when the user uses a finger to make a swipe tothe top on the image transmission interface displayed by thetouchscreen, the mobile terminal 102 generates an operation command forcorrespondingly controlling the UAV 104 to point upward; and when theuser uses a finger to make a swipe to the bottom on the imagetransmission interface displayed by the touchscreen, the mobile terminal102 generates an operation command for correspondingly controlling a UAVto point downward. The mobile terminal sends the operation command tothe UAV 104 by using a wireless communication channel, so as to operatethe UAV 104 or the camera to move accordingly. The operation commandincludes not only a type of movement but also a magnitude of themovement. In some embodiments, the magnitude of the UAV/camera movementis fixed per swipe. In some other embodiments, the magnitude of theUAV/camera movement is consistent with the magnitude of the finger swipeon the image transmission interface. In some embodiments, a finger swipeon the image transmission interface is split into at least twocomponents. For example, an up-left swipe on the image transmissioninterface is decomposed into a left swipe and an up swipe, each trigginga corresponding command to be sent to the UAV/camera. In other words,one single swipe may cause the UAV/camera in two different directions.In some other embodiments, one of the two components is set to zero(e.g., a 30-degree up-right swipe is construed to be a right-only swipeand a 70-degree up-right swipe is construed to be an up-only swipe) suchthat only one corresponding command is sent to the UAV/camera.

In this embodiment, an image transmission interface is used to display apicture captured by a UAV 104, a touch control signal applied on atouchscreen is monitored, and the UAV 104 is controlled according to anoperation gesture generated on the touchscreen. Because an operationinterface and the image transmission interface are a same interface, atthe same time when a user operates the UAV 104, the user can see, inreal time, the picture captured by the UAV 104. Moreover, the UAV 104may be operated by performing a touch control operation on thetouchscreen of a mobile terminal, so that a response speed is faster,and use becomes more convenient.

In some embodiments, the step of generating a corresponding operationcommand according to the operation gesture includes: monitoring acurrent control mode; if the current control mode is an aircraft controlmode, generating, according to the operation gesture, a correspondingoperation command for controlling an aircraft to move; and if thecurrent control mode is a camera control mode, generating, according tothe operation gesture, a corresponding operation command for controllinga lens to rotate. In other words, the same finger operation gesture maycause different operation commands depending on which control mode thegraphical user interface is currently in. By allowing the two controlmode sharing the same graphical user interface and the same set offinger gestures, the mobile terminal 102 achieves the most efficient wayof operating a remote UAV and its associated camera to perform theuser-desired operations in a most intuitive and user-friendly manner. Asit is well-known that the UAV 104 is typically powered by a rechargeablebattery that has a limited capacity, such an efficient way of operatingthe UAV and its camera allows the mobile terminal 102 and the UAV 104 toexecute according to the user instructions promptly and accurately andtherefore save more power for the UAV 104 to remain in the air for alonger period of time and collecting more useful information beforebeing recharged.

To enable the UAV 104 to change a photographing location and angleaccording to an operation of a user, the user may operate an aircraftand a lens of the UAV 104, including operating a moving direction of theaircraft and a rotating direction of the lens. Therefore, providedoperation modes include the aircraft control mode and the camera controlmode. In this embodiment, controls used to switch a current control modeare provided on a UAV-operation interface, and include a control used toswitch from the current control mode to the aircraft control mode and aninterface control used to switch from the current control mode to thecamera control mode. The user may trigger switching of the currentcontrol mode by clicking a corresponding control or by using a swipeoperation applied on a corresponding control.

As shown in FIG. 16, a UAV-operation interface is provided. TheUAV-operation interface includes an image transmission interface 1602.The UAV-operation interface 1602 further provides a control icon 1604used to switch to the aircraft control mode and a control icon 1606 usedto switch to the camera control mode. When the control icon 1604 istriggered, the current control mode is the aircraft control mode, and anoperation gesture acquired on the image transmission interface 1602 maybe used to control the movement of the aircraft. When the control icon1606 is triggered, the current control mode is the camera control mode,and an operation gesture acquired on the image transmission interface1602 may be used to control the rotation of the lens.

Further referring to FIG. 16, a picture captured by the UAV 104 isdisplayed on the UAV-operation interface in real time by using the imagetransmission interface 1602. The UAV-operation interface furtherprovides some interface elements used to implement photographing and arelated function. For example, the UAV-operation interface furtherprovides a control button 1612 used to capture an image or a picturedisplayed in real time on the image transmission interface 1602. Amobile terminal 102 detects a click operation on the control button1612, saves the current image or picture on the image transmissioninterface 1602 to a specified folder, and displays, on the UAV-operationinterface, a thumbnail 1614 of a photo obtained through photographing.The thumbnail 1614 further provides a means of browsing the photo. Whenthe thumbnail 1614 is clicked, the current photo obtained throughphotographing may be directly acquired from the specified folder anddisplayed. In addition, the UAV-operation interface provides a control408 used to switch to a camera mode, and provides a control 1610 used toswitch to a video mode.

Further, a user may use a finger to perform a touch control operation onthe image transmission interface 1602 to generate the operation gesture.For example, with reference to FIG. 16, the user uses a finger to make aswipe to the right on the image transmission interface 1602, so that anoperation command for controlling an aircraft to move right isgenerated.

In this embodiment, two control modes are set, so that the movement ofthe aircraft may be operated, and the rotation of the lens may beoperated. In this way, the UAV 104 takes pictures from various angles,thereby achieving higher flexibility.

Further, in some embodiments, the step of generating, according to theoperation gesture, a corresponding operation command for controlling anaircraft to move includes: monitoring a moving direction of a singletouch point, and generating, according to the moving direction of thesingle touch point, an operation command for controlling an aircraft tomove in a corresponding direction.

In this embodiment, when the current control mode is the aircraftcontrol mode, the user uses one finger or stylus to generate a singletouch point on the image transmission interface. Specifically, themoving direction of the single touch point includes: moving up, movingdown, moving left or moving right. A generated operation commandcorrespondingly controls an aircraft to move as follows: the aircraftmoves up, the aircraft moves down, the aircraft moves left or theaircraft moves right. That is, referring to FIG. 17, when it is detectedthat the moving direction of the single touch point is moving up, anoperation command for controlling an aircraft to move up is generated.When it is detected that the moving direction of the single touch pointis moving down, an operation command for controlling an aircraft to movedown is generated. When it is detected that the moving direction of thesingle touch point is moving left, an operation command for controllingan aircraft to move left is generated. When it is detected that themoving direction of the single touch point is moving right, an operationcommand for controlling an aircraft to move right is generated.

It should be noted that up, down, left, and right discussed in thepresent application are relative terms, and are four directions up,down, left, and right generated during the use of the mobile terminal.With reference to FIG. 17, when the user uses the mobile terminal towatch an image or a picture displayed in real time on the imagetransmission interface 1602, the four directions up, down, left, andright can be determined. In the aircraft control mode, when the useruses a single finger or stylus to make swipes in different directions,operation commands that enable the aircraft to move in the correspondingdirections are generated. It may be understood that when the mobileterminal is turned upside down, if a displayed operation interface isalso turned upside down, the four directions up, down, left, and rightare generated again.

In a process of controlling the UAV 104 to move in different directions,the image transmission interface 1602 displays in real time a picturecaptured by the UAV 104 (in FIG. 17, for ease of description ofoperation principles, a picture actually taken is not shown). Theoperation is synchronous with real-time display. The user makes a swipeup, down, left, and right on the image transmission interface 1602 toimplement the movement of the aircraft in the air. This manner issimilar to the manner of operating the movement of the aircraft in thereal world. Therefore, a response speed is faster, and use becomes moreconvenient.

In some embodiments, the step of generating, according to the operationgesture, a corresponding operation command for controlling an aircraftto move includes: monitoring moving directions of two touch points; whenthe two touch points move away from each other, generating an operationcommand for controlling an aircraft to move forward; and when the twotouch points move towards each other, generating an operation commandfor controlling an aircraft to move backward.

In this embodiment, the user may use two fingers to perform the touchcontrol operation on the image transmission interface 1602. Withreference to FIG. 17, the user uses two fingers to form two touch pointson the image transmission interface 1602. When the two touch points moveaway from each other (that is, a distance between the two touch pointsincreases or a de-pinch finger gesture), the UAV 104 can be controlledto move forward. In contrast, when the two touch points move towardseach other (that is, a distance between the two touch points decreasesor a pinch finger gesture), the UAV 104 is controlled to move backward.In this embodiment, an aircraft can be controlled to move forward andbackward by using simple swipe operations of two fingers. As comparedwith a control manner of a virtual joystick, a response speed is faster,it is easier for a user to master the operation, and use becomes moreconvenient.

In some embodiments, the step of generating, according to the operationgesture, a corresponding operation command for controlling a lens torotate includes: monitoring a moving direction of a single touch point,and generating, according to a moving direction of a single touch point,an operation command for controlling a lens to rotate in a correspondingdirection.

In this embodiment, when the current control mode is the camera controlmode, the user uses one finger or stylus to generate a single touchpoint on the image transmission interface. Specifically, a movingdirection of the single touch point includes: moving up, moving down,moving left or moving right. A generated operation commandcorrespondingly controls a lens to: pitch up, pitch down, roll left orroll right. That is, when it is detected that the moving direction ofthe single touch point is moving up, an operation command forcontrolling a lens to pitch up is generated. When it is detected thatthe moving direction of the single touch point is moving down, anoperation command for controlling a lens to pitch down is generated.When it is detected that the moving direction of the single touch pointis moving left, an operation command for controlling a lens to roll leftis generated. When it is detected that the moving direction of thesingle touch point is moving right, an operation command for controllinga lens to roll right is generated.

Because some lenses support only pitching, therefore, in someembodiments, in the camera control mode, the moving direction of thesingle touch point includes: moving up or moving down. A generatedoperation command correspondingly controls a lens to pitch up or pitchdown.

In some embodiments, in the camera control mode, in addition to thecontrol of the pitching of the lens, the aircraft may further becontrolled to move left or right. Specifically, the step of generating acorresponding operation command according to the operation gesturefurther includes: if the current control mode is the camera controlmode, monitoring a moving direction of a single touch point; when themoving direction of the single touch point is moving vertically,generating an operation command for controlling a lens to roll in acorresponding direction; and when the moving direction of the singletouch point is moving horizontally, generating an operation command forcontrolling an aircraft to move in a corresponding direction.

In this embodiment, with reference to FIG. 18, if the current controlmode is the camera control mode, the user uses a single finger or stylusto perform the touch control operation on the image transmissioninterface 1602. A touchscreen of the mobile terminal monitors a movingdirection of a single touch point. When it is detected that the movingdirection of the single touch point is moving up, an operation commandfor controlling a lens to pitch up (tilt backward) is generated. When itis detected that the moving direction of the single touch point ismoving down, an operation command for controlling a lens to pitch down(tilt forward) is generated. When it is detected that the movingdirection of the single touch point is moving left, an operation commandfor controlling an aircraft to move left is generated. When it isdetected that the moving direction of the single touch point is movingright, an operation command for controlling an aircraft to move right isgenerated.

In the camera control mode, the aircraft can further be operated to moveleft or right by making a horizontal swipe on the image transmissioninterface 1602. A vertical swipe can be used to operate the lens topitch, so as to operate the UAV to perform photographing of 360-degreefreedom. A swipe on the image transmission interface 1602 is used tooperate an aircraft to move and a lens to rotate. As compared with anoperation manner of a virtual joystick, a response speed is faster, anduse by a user becomes more convenient.

In some embodiments, the step of generating a corresponding operationcommand according to the operation gesture further includes: monitoringmoving directions of two touch points; when the two touch points moveaway from each other, generating an operation command for controlling alens to increase a focal length; and when the two touch points movetowards each other, generating an operation command for controlling alens to reduce a focal length.

In this embodiment, in the camera control mode, the user may use twofingers to perform the touch control operation on the image transmissioninterface 1602. With reference to FIG. 18, when the two touch pointsmove away from each other, the lens of the UAV is controlled to increasethe focal length. In this way, a photographing picture displayed in realtime on the image transmission interface 1602 is magnified, and theangle of view is reduced. When the two touch points move towards eachother, the lens of the UAV is controlled to reduce the focal length. Inthis way, the photographing picture displayed in real time on the imagetransmission interface 1602 is shrunk, and the angle of view isincreased.

In this embodiment, in a camera control mode, two fingers are used toperform a swipe operation, so that a focal length of a lens iscontrolled to increase or decrease. As compared with a control manner ofa virtual joystick, a response speed is faster, and a user can usesimple touch and swipe operations to control a photographing picturedisplayed in real time on an image transmission interface to bemagnified or shrunk, so that use becomes more convenient.

It is well-known that the mobile terminal 102 includes many sensors fordetecting its own movement and orientation information. The descriptionbelow in connection with FIGS. 19-30 is directed to embodiments ofcontrolling a UAV 104 and its associated camera using the various sensorinformation of the mobile terminal.

As shown in FIG. 19, in some embodiments, a method for operating anaircraft like the UAV 104 is provided. This embodiment is described byusing an example in which the method is applied to the mobile terminal102 in the foregoing FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The method includes thefollowing steps:

Step 1902: Display an aircraft operation interface.

Specifically, an aircraft operation application is run the mobileterminal. The aircraft operation application has a function of operatingan aircraft, and may further have a function of processing a photo or avideo taken by an aircraft. Here, the processing on the photo or thevideo taken by the aircraft mainly includes categorization,presentation, sharing with a social network friend, and generation of atravel path. The mobile terminal may specifically perform sortingaccording to a shooting time of a photo or a video to generate a travelpath, or may further sort, according to a corresponding shooting time,geographical location information recorded when the photo or the videois taken, to generate a travel path. Here, the travel path may reflect atravel path of the aircraft, or may further reflect a travel path of auser.

The mobile terminal uses the aircraft operation application to providean aircraft operation interface used for triggering an aircraftoperation command, and may specifically jump to the aircraft operationinterface from a presentation page used for presenting a photo or videotaken by an aircraft. For example, an aircraft operation applicationruns on a mobile terminal. A presentation page shown in FIG. 20 isentered first. A user may view, on the presentation page by category,photos or videos taken by an aircraft and share a photo or video with asocial network friend. A travel path generated according to the photosor videos taken by the aircraft may further be presented. When detectingan operation on an aircraft operation icon 2002, the mobile terminalenters an aircraft operation interface shown in FIG. 21.

Step 1904: Monitor a touch control operation applied on the aircraftoperation interface.

Specifically, a first touch control region is a specific region in theaircraft operation interface, and is used for supporting a touch controloperation. The first touch control region may be a button. The button isin a first state by default, and changes to a second state when a touchcontrol operation is detected. The state here includes at least one of ashape, a color, and a pattern. For example, the button is in a releasedstate by default, and changes to a pressed state after a touch controloperation is detected. The first touch control region may also be aregion that is labeled by using a preset mark, for example, a regionenclosed by a dotted-line box or marked by using a special color. Thefirst touch control region may also be not marked, but instead isindicated in an instruction drawing when an aircraft operation interfaceis entered for the first time. The touch control operation mayspecifically be a tap operation, a double-tap operation, atouch-and-long-press operation, a swipe operation or a multi-touch-pointcontrol operation. The multi-touch-point control operation is anoperation based on multiple touch control points. For example, multipletouch control points are triggered and the multiple touch control pointsconverge, or multiple touch control points are triggered and themultiple touch control points diverge. When a touch control operation isapplied in a first touch control region, it means that a touch controlpoint of the touch control operation is inside the first touch controlregion. The mobile terminal may monitor, in real time or periodically, atouch control operation on applied on the aircraft operation interface.

For example, referring to FIG. 21, the first touch control region may bea region 2102 located on the aircraft operation interface. The user usesa touching body to touch the first touch control region 2102 and keeps atouch control point from disappearing. The mobile terminal detects atouch control operation applied in the first touch control region 2102.The touching body is, for example, a stylus or a finger of the user.

Step 1906: If the touch control operation is detected, acquire sensordata, and at least obtain an aircraft operation command according to thesensor data.

The mobile terminal may specifically read sensor data from acorresponding sensor by using an interface for reading sensor data. Thesensor data may be sensor data of multiple sensors. In some embodiments,the sensor data is from at least one of a direction sensor, a gravitysensor, an acceleration sensor, a light sensor, an electronic compass, adistance sensor, a triaxial gyroscope sensor, a temperature sensor, anda pressure sensor.

The mobile terminal may obtain an aircraft operation command accordingto acquired sensor data and a mapping between sensor data and anaircraft operation command. The mapping between sensor data and anaircraft operation command may be represented by using a function, wherean independent variable of the function may be sensor data, and adependent variable of the function may be an identifier of a mappedaircraft operation command.

The aircraft operation command may be an operation command forcontrolling a flight status of an aircraft and an attitude of theaircraft, or may be an operation command for controlling an aircraft totake a photo or a video, or may further be another command for operatingan aircraft to perform an action. The flight status is, for example, atleast one of a flight direction, a flight speed, a flight height, hover,a flight destination, and the like. The attitude of the aircraft is, forexample, yaw, rotation or the like.

For example, if the sensor data is a pressure value from a pressuresensor, or a temperature value from a temperature sensor, or a lightbrightness value from a light sensor, an aircraft operation command forcontrolling a flight speed of an aircraft may be obtained according tothe sensor data. For example, when the pressure value is larger, theaircraft flies faster, or when the temperature value is larger, theaircraft flies faster. If the sensor data is a distance value from adistance sensor, an aircraft operation command used to decelerate anaircraft when a distance value is less than a first preset value andstop the aircraft from moving forward when the distance value is lessthan a second preset value may be obtained according to the sensor data,where the first preset value is greater than the second preset value.

Step 1908: Send the aircraft operation command to an aircraft (e.g., theUAV 104).

Specifically, the mobile terminal sends, to the aircraft by using awireless connection with the aircraft, the aircraft operation commandobtained according to the sensor data. Therefore, after receiving theaircraft operation command, the aircraft performs an action specified inthe aircraft operation command. If receiving multiple aircraft operationcommands, the aircraft may sequentially perform, according to an orderof receiving the aircraft operation commands, actions specified in theaircraft operation commands.

In the foregoing method for operating an aircraft, an aircraft operationinterface is displayed. The aircraft operation interface has a firsttouch control region. If a touch control operation applied in the firsttouch control region is detected, an aircraft operation command isgenerated by using sensor data and sent to an aircraft. In this way,when a user applies a touch control operation in a first touch controlregion, sensor data detected by a sensor may be changed to operate anaircraft, so that a simple and brand-new operation manner is provided,the user has more options when the user operates the aircraft, andoperations on the aircraft are more convenient.

In some embodiments, step 1906 includes: if a first touch controloperation that is applied in a first touch control region on theaircraft operation interface and is used to enable a sensor control modeis detected, acquiring sensor data, obtaining an aircraft operationcommand at least according to the sensor data, and stopping acquiringsensor data when a second touch control operation applied in the firsttouch control region is detected.

Specifically, the touch control operation detected by the mobileterminal includes a first touch control operation used to enable asensor control mode and a second touch control operation used to disablea sensor control mode. The sensor control mode is a mode of operating anaircraft by using sensor data. After the sensor control mode is enabled,the mobile terminal acquires sensor data, obtains an aircraft operationcommand at least according to the sensor data, and sends the aircraftoperation command to an aircraft. After the sensor control mode isdisabled, the mobile terminal no longer acquires sensor data, or nolonger obtains an aircraft operation command at least according to thesensor data, or no longer sends the aircraft operation command to anaircraft, but instead, may operate the aircraft in another manner, forexample, operate the aircraft by simulating a joystick.

In this embodiment, timing of entering a sensor control mode may beflexibly controlled by using a touch control operation used to enable asensor control mode and a touch control operation used to disable asensor control mode, so as to operate an aircraft by using a change ofsensor data detected by a sensor in the sensor control mode, so thatoperations on the aircraft become more convenient.

In some embodiments, the first touch control operation used to enable asensor control mode and the second touch control operation used todisable a sensor control mode may be the same. In this case, the touchcontrol operation may be selected from a tap operation, a double-tapoperation, a swipe operation, and a multi-touch-point control operation.

For example, if a tap operation in the first touch control region isdetected, the sensor control mode is enabled, sensor data is furtheracquired, an aircraft operation command is obtained at least accordingto the sensor data, and the aircraft operation command is sent to theaircraft. If a tap operation in the first touch control region isdetected again, the sensor control mode is disabled.

In some embodiments, the first touch control operation used to enable asensor control mode and the second touch control operation used todisable a sensor control mode may be different. In this case, the twotouch control operations may be separately selected from a tapoperation, a double-tap operation, a swipe operation, and amulti-touch-point control operation.

For example, if a tap operation in the first touch control region isdetected, the sensor control mode is enabled, sensor data is furtheracquired, an aircraft operation command is obtained at least accordingto the sensor data, and the aircraft operation command is sent to theaircraft. If a double-tap operation in the first touch control region isdetected, the sensor control mode is disabled.

In some embodiments, the first touch control operation used to enable asensor control mode and the second touch control operation used todisable a sensor control mode may be included in one combined touchcontrol operation. The combined touch control operation is, for example,a touch-and-long-press operation, including a touch control operationfor triggering a touch-and-long-press operation and a touch controloperation for releasing a touch-and-long-press operation.

In some embodiments, step 1906 includes: starting to measure a time whena third touch control operation is detected, and if a measured timereaches preset duration and the third touch control operation is keptbeing applied in the first touch control region on the aircraftoperation interface, acquiring sensor data, obtaining an aircraftoperation command at least according to the sensor data, and stoppingacquiring sensor data until the third touch control operation.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the detected third touch controloperation is a continuous touch control operation. After detecting thethird touch control operation, the mobile terminal acquires sensor datain a period when the third touch control operation is applied in thefirst touch control region, obtains an aircraft operation command atleast according to the sensor data, and sends the aircraft operationcommand to an aircraft, until application of a touch control point inthe first touch control region disappears. An application time of thetouch control operation is a time period starting from a moment when thetouch control operation is detected to a moment when the touch controloperation disappears.

The preset duration is used for differentiation of a touch operation. Ifa touch control point disappears within preset duration after the touchcontrol point is detected, the touch control point is recognized as atouch operation. If a touch control point still exists after the presetduration, the touch control point is recognized as a continuous touchcontrol operation that needs to be monitored, and a sensor control modeis entered. A time starts to be measured from a moment when a touchcontrol point of the third touch control operation is detected and ameasured time reaches preset duration. In this case, the third touchcontrol operation is the first touch control operation used to enable asensor control mode. If application of the touch control point in thefirst touch control region disappears, the third touch control operationis the second touch control operation used to disable a sensor controlmode.

In this embodiment, a time starts to be measured from a moment when atouch control point is detected. If the preset duration ends and thetouch control point is still kept being applied in the first touchcontrol region, a user may be prevented from touching the first touchcontrol region by mistake to cause the aircraft to be out of control.

In another embodiment, the mobile terminal may also acquire sensor dataright after detecting a touch control operation, obtain an aircraftoperation command at least according to the sensor data, and send theaircraft operation command to an aircraft, until application of thetouch control point on the first touch control region disappears.

As shown in FIG. 22, in some embodiments, the method further includes astep of operating an aircraft according to a touch operation in a secondtouch control region, and specifically includes the following steps:

Step 2202: Monitor a touch operation applied in a second touch controlregion on the aircraft operation interface, where the second touchcontrol region is used to simulate a joystick operation.

Specifically, the second touch control region is a specific region inthe aircraft operation interface, and is used for supporting a touchoperation to simulate a joystick operation. The touch operation is, forexample, a tap operation, a double-tap operation, a touch-and-long-pressoperation, a swipe operation or a multi-touch-point control operation.The touch operation applied in the second touch control region and thetouch control operation applied in the first touch control regionimplement different operation manners.

In some embodiments, the second touch control region may surround thefirst touch control region. In this case, the second touch controlregion and the first touch control region are not overlapped. The touchoperation and the detected touch control operation may be the same. Inanother embodiment, the second touch control region may be separate fromthe first touch control region.

Step 2204: Acquire a simulated-joystick operation command triggered bythe touch operation.

Step 2206: Send the simulated-joystick operation command to an aircraft.

Specifically, when a touch operation is applied in different regions inthe second touch control region, different simulated-joystick operationcommands may be triggered. Specifically, four main directions, forexample, up, down, left, and right, may be defined in the second touchcontrol region, so that the mobile terminal may trigger, according to arelative location of a touch operation applied in the second touchcontrol region relative to the four main directions, a correspondingsimulated-joystick operation command. The simulated-joystick operationcommand does not conflict with the aircraft operation command.Preferably, the simulated-joystick operation command is used to operatethe aircraft to move vertically and change an attitude of the aircraft.The aircraft operation command is used to operate the aircraft to movein different directions on a horizontal plane.

Referring to FIG. 23, if a touch control point of a touch operation isapplied in a main direction of a second touch control region 2301, forexample, touch operations represented by four gestures 2302, 2303, 2304,and 2305 in FIG. 23, the mobile terminal may trigger asimulated-joystick operation command corresponding to the maindirection, and send the simulated-joystick operation command to theaircraft. The aircraft may perform an action of moving up, moving down,rolling left or rolling right according to the received simulatedjoystick operation command.

If a touch operation is applied at a location other than the maindirections in the second touch control region, the mobile terminal maytrigger, according to components mapped in the main directions by atouch control point of the touch operation, a corresponding combinedsimulated-joystick operation command, and send the combinedsimulated-joystick operation command to the aircraft. The aircraft mayperform, according to the received combined simulated joystick operationcommand, an action of rolling left and moving up, rolling right andmoving up, rolling left and moving down or rolling right and movingdown.

In this embodiment, a mobile terminal monitors a touch control operationapplied on an aircraft operation interface, and monitors a touchoperation applied in a second touch control region on the aircraftoperation interface, so as to implement different operation manners ofan aircraft according to different combinations of detection results. Inthis way, operation manners of an aircraft are diversified, andoperations on the aircraft become more flexible and convenient.

In some embodiments, step 1906 includes: if it is detected that a touchcontrol point of a fourth touch control operation is applied in a firsttouch control region, acquiring sensor data, obtaining an aircraftoperation command at least according to the sensor data, and stoppingacquiring sensor data until the touch control point disappears. Themethod further includes: when the touch control point moves into asecond touch control region on the aircraft operation interface,triggering a simulated-joystick operation command according to alocation of the touch control point in the second touch control region,and sending the simulated-joystick operation command to the aircraft.The second touch control region is used to simulate a joystickoperation.

Specifically, in this embodiment, the detected fourth touch controloperation is a continuous touch control operation. After detecting thefourth touch control operation, the mobile terminal acquires sensor datain an application time of a corresponding touch control point, obtainsan aircraft operation command at least according to the sensor data, andsends the aircraft operation command to an aircraft, until the touchcontrol point disappears. It is detected that the touch control point ofthe fourth touch control operation is applied in the first touch controlregion. In this case, the fourth touch control operation is the firsttouch control operation used to enable a sensor control mode. If thetouch control point disappears, the fourth touch control operation isthe second touch control operation used to disable a sensor controlmode.

The mobile terminal may also start to measure a time when the touchcontrol point of the fourth touch control operation is detected. If ameasured time reaches preset duration and a corresponding touch controlpoint is kept being applied in the first touch control region, sensordata is acquired, an aircraft operation command is obtained at leastaccording to the sensor data, and sensor data stops being acquired untilthe touch control point disappears. A time starts to be measured whenthe touch control point of the fourth touch control operation isdetected, and a measured time reaches preset duration. In this case, thefourth touch control operation is the first touch control operation usedto enable a sensor control mode. If the touch control point disappears,the fourth touch control operation is the second touch control operationused to disable a sensor control mode.

Further, when the touch control point moves into a second touch controlregion on the aircraft operation interface, the foregoing steps 2202 to2206 may be triggered. In this case, application of the touch controlpoint in the second touch control region is the touch operation appliedin the second touch control region.

In this embodiment, through a continuous fourth touch control operation,it may be successively triggered to enter a sensor control mode and tosimulate a joystick to operate an aircraft, so that the aircraft can beoperated with one hand, making operations on the aircraft moreconvenient.

In some embodiments, step 1906 includes: monitoring a press touchoperation applied on a touch control button in a second touch controlregion on the aircraft operation interface, and when a press touchoperation is detected, acquiring sensor data; monitoring a movement ofthe touch control button following the press touch operation in thesecond touch control region or on the aircraft operation interface, andacquiring a simulated-joystick operation command according to themovement; and obtaining the aircraft operation command according to thesensor data and the simulated-joystick operation command.

The simulated-joystick operation command is an operation command thatsimulates a joystick remote control. Four main directions, for example,up, down, left, and right, may be specifically defined in the secondtouch control region, so as to trigger, according to a relative locationof a press touch operation applied in the second touch control regionrelative to the four main directions, a corresponding simulated-joystickoperation command. The simulated-joystick operation command does notconflict with the aircraft operation command. Preferably, thesimulated-joystick operation command is used to operate the aircraft tomove vertically and change an attitude of the aircraft.

In this embodiment, through a press touch operation on a touch controlbutton in a second touch control region, it may be successivelytriggered to enter a sensor control mode and to simulate a joystick tooperate an aircraft, so that the aircraft can be operated with one hand,making operations on the aircraft more convenient.

As shown in FIG. 24, in some embodiments, the step of obtaining anaircraft operation command at least according to the sensor dataspecifically includes the following steps:

Step 2102: Determine, according to acquired initial sensor data, aninitial status of a mobile terminal at which a sensor is located.

Specifically, the sensor data includes data used for reflecting at leastone of an attitude and a movement of the mobile terminal. The initialsensor data is sensor data initially received after the mobile terminalenters a sensor control mode, and is used to determine a current statusof the mobile terminal. The current status is defined as an initialstatus. The initial status includes an attitude status and a movementstatus of the mobile terminal. The attitude status includes a tiltingpart, a tilting direction, a tilting angle, and the like of the mobileterminal, and the movement status includes a movement speed, a movementacceleration, a movement direction, and the like.

The mobile terminal may determine an initial status of the mobileterminal in three-dimensional space according to a three-dimensionalfixed reference coordinate system of the mobile terminal. If the fixedreference coordinate system is a three-dimensional reference coordinatesystem and includes three axes that are perpendicular to each other, twoaxes may be parallel to a display screen of the mobile terminal, and theremaining axis is perpendicular to the display screen. A movementparameter includes at least one of a movement direction, a movementamplitude, and a movement speed. The initial status that is of themobile terminal and is determined by using the fixed referencecoordinate system may accurately reflect an initial status of the mobileterminal in three-dimensional space represented by the fixed referencecoordinate system.

Step 2104: Determine a subsequent status of the mobile terminalaccording to subsequent sensor data of the acquired initial sensor data.

Specifically, after determining the initial status, the mobile terminalcontinues to acquire subsequent sensor data, so as to determine asubsequent status of the mobile terminal according to the subsequentsensor data. The subsequent status includes an attitude status and amovement status of the mobile terminal. The attitude status includes atilting part, a tilting direction, a tilting angle, and the like of themobile terminal, and the movement status includes a movement speed, amovement acceleration, a movement direction, and the like.

Step 2106: Generate the aircraft operation command according to a changeof the subsequent status from the initial status.

Specifically, the mobile terminal uses an initial status as a referenceto compare a subsequent status with the initial status, so as togenerate an aircraft operation command according to an amount of changeof the subsequent status from the initial status. For example, theinitial status of the mobile terminal is that a lower left corner of themobile terminal tilts by 15°. If a subsequent status is that the lowerleft corner of the mobile terminal turns to be horizontal from tiltingby 15°, it is equivalent to that the lower left corner of the mobileterminal moves by 15° in an opposite direction. In this case, the mobileterminal generates an aircraft operation command according to the amountof the change. Like the previous description in connection with FIGS.15-18, by simulating the desired movement of the UAV 104 with theuser-controlled movement of the mobile terminal 102, the user canprovide more intuitive instructions to the mobile terminal 102 foroperating a remote UAV and its associated camera to perform theuser-desired operations. As such, the UAV and its camera can be operatedmore promptly and accurately through the corresponding movement of themobile terminal 102 and more battery power is saved for the UAV 104 toremain in the air for a longer period of time and collect more usefulinformation before being recharged because less time and/or power iswasted on interpreting the user's true intent.

For example, referring to FIG. 25 and FIG. 26 again, when the user keepspressing a first touch control region, if the mobile terminal determinesthat an initial status of the mobile terminal at which the sensor islocated is a horizontal state, the user shakes the mobile terminal tothe left. In this case, the mobile terminal may determine a subsequentstatus of the mobile terminal according to the subsequent sensor data,and detect, according to a change of the subsequent status from theinitial status, that the mobile terminal moves towards a left side of ascreen. After the aircraft operation command generated by the mobileterminal is sent to the aircraft, the aircraft performs a correspondingaction, for example, performs an action of moving left, to cause theaircraft to move along according to the mobile terminal. In someembodiments, the aircraft operation command includes not only a type ofmovement to be performed by the UAV but also a magnitude of themovement. The magnitude of the UAV/camera movement may be a constantvalue or proportional to the magnitude of the movement of the mobileterminal.

Further, when the user continues pressing the first touch controlregion, if the user shakes the mobile terminal rightward, upward ordownward, the mobile terminal may detect that the mobile terminal movestowards a rear side, an upper side or a lower side of the screen.Correspondingly, after an aircraft operation command is sent to theaircraft, the aircraft respectively performs an action of moving right,moving forward or moving backward.

In this embodiment, a user may enable a sensor control mode by using atouch control operation in a first touch control region when a mobileterminal is in any status, and the mobile terminal performsinitialization, determines an initial status according to initial sensordata, further determines a subsequent status according to subsequentsensor data, and generates an aircraft operation command according to achange of the subsequent status from the initial status. In this way, auser does not need to place a mobile terminal horizontally to operate anaircraft, so that operations become more convenient and precise.

In some embodiments, when determining the movement status of the mobileterminal, the mobile terminal determines whether the movement amplitudeexceeds a preset threshold. If the movement amplitude exceeds the presetthreshold, perform step 2106. If the movement amplitude does not exceedthe preset threshold, skip step 2106. In this embodiment, the user mayshake the mobile terminal rapidly in one direction and shake again,after the mobile terminal slowly returns to the original position, themobile terminal in the same direction, to enable the mobile terminal toobtain consecutive movement parameters in a same direction, so as tocontinuously operate the aircraft to perform same actions.

As shown in FIG. 30, in some embodiments, the method for operating anaircraft further includes the step of selecting a preset automaticoperation mode to operate an aircraft, and specifically includes thefollowing steps:

Step 3002: Monitor a selection command for a preset automatic operationmode icon on an aircraft operation interface.

Specifically, the mobile terminal may display multiple preset automaticoperation mode icons on the aircraft operation interface, for example,icons 2106, 2108, and 2110 in FIG. 21. The user clicks an icon totrigger a corresponding selection command. A preset automatic operationmode is an automatic operation manner in which a predefined parameter isused to operate an aircraft to perform a predefined action.

Step 3004: Determine a corresponding preset automatic operation modeaccording to the selection command.

Specifically, the mobile terminal uses a preset automatic operation modecorresponding to a preset automatic operation mode icon corresponding toa selection command as the corresponding preset automatic operation modedetermined according to the selection command.

Step 3006: Read a combined aircraft operation command associated withthe determined preset automatic operation mode.

Step 3008: Send the combined aircraft operation command to the aircraft,so that the aircraft sequentially performs a corresponding series ofactions according to the combined aircraft operation command.

Specifically, a corresponding combined aircraft operation command isassociated in advance with each preset automatic operation mode storedon the mobile terminal. After the mobile terminal reads a combinedaircraft operation command and sends the combined aircraft operationcommand to the aircraft, the aircraft sequentially performs a series ofactions according to the combined aircraft operation command, to operatethe aircraft to automatically change from a current status to a targetstatus specified in a preset automatic operation mode.

In some embodiments, the preset automatic operation mode includes atleast one of a same-location landing mode, a preset-location returningand landing mode, an in-flight emergency hover mode, and afollow-locked-target flight mode.

If the determined preset automatic operation mode is the same-locationlanding mode, the aircraft may automatically and sequentially perform aseries of actions of stopping movement in a horizontal direction,gradually reducing a flight height, reaching the ground, and stopping arotary wing to accomplish an automatic flight task of same-locationlanding.

If the determined preset automatic operation mode is the preset-locationreturning and landing mode, the aircraft may automatically andsequentially perform a series of actions of acquiring coordinates of apreset location, flying to the coordinates of the preset location,stopping movement in a horizontal direction, gradually reducing a flightheight, reaching the ground, and stopping a rotary wing to accomplish anautomatic flight task of returning to a preset location to performlanding.

If the determined preset automatic operation mode is the in-flightemergency hover mode, the aircraft may automatically and sequentiallyperform a series of actions of stopping movement in a horizontaldirection and keeping a flight height to accomplish an automatic flighttask of emergency hover in flight.

If the determined preset automatic operation mode is thefollow-locked-target flight mode, the aircraft may automatically andsequentially perform a series of actions of acquiring a locked target,flying to a preset distance away from the locked target, and keeping thedistance to accomplish an automatic flight task of follow-locked-targetflight.

In this embodiment, a user may simply operate an aircraft by using apreset automatic operation mode, to enable the aircraft to automaticallyaccomplish a corresponding flight task, so that operation convenience isimproved. A same-location landing mode, a preset-location returning andlanding mode, and an in-flight emergency hover mode may be used toimplement emergency avoidance or aircraft recycling. Afollow-locked-target flight mode may be used to implement automaticnavigation after an aircraft locks a target, so as to further achievethat one user simultaneously operates multiple aircrafts.

In some embodiments, multiple mobile terminals can communicate with thesame UAV. The description below in connection with FIGS. 31-32 isdirected to embodiments of having multiple mobile terminalscommunicating with the same UAV 104.

As shown in FIG. 31, in some embodiments, a multimedia synchronizationmethod is performed by a mobile terminal 102 and a UAV 104 that iswirelessly connected to the mobile terminal 102. The method includes:

Step 3102: Receive a first authorized-user identifier sent by a firstmobile terminal.

In this embodiment, the first authorized-user identifier is anauthorized-user identifier agreed upon by the first mobile terminal andthe aircraft. The first mobile terminal may connect to the aircraft byusing the first authorized-user identifier and operate the aircraft. Insome embodiments, the first mobile terminal may log in, by using thefirst authorized-user identifier, to an application program used foroperating an aircraft. The first mobile terminal sends the firstauthorized-user identifier to a server by using a network forauthentication. After the first authorized-user identifier isauthenticated, the first mobile terminal initiates a connection signalto the aircraft. The connection signal carries the authenticated firstauthorized-user identifier. In another embodiment, the first mobileterminal may directly connect to the aircraft by using Wi-Fi. The firstmobile terminal submits, to the aircraft, the first authorized-useridentifier that is agreed upon in advance by the first mobile terminaland the aircraft, and establishes a connection with the aircraft byusing the first authorized-user identifier.

Step 3104: Receive an aircraft operation command and a photographingcommand sent by the first mobile terminal, perform aircraft flightcontrol according to the aircraft operation command, and collectmultimedia data in a target photographing region according to thephotographing command.

In this embodiment, after a connection is established between the firstmobile terminal and the aircraft, an operation interface of an aircraftmay be displayed on the first mobile terminal, and an operation may beperformed on the operation interface to control the aircraft to performphotographing. For example, a particular operation gesture may be formedon the operation interface to control the aircraft to move left, right,forward or backward or control a lens of the aircraft to pitch or thelike. A photographing button may be provided on the operation interface,and a photographing command is generated by clicking the photographingbutton. The first mobile terminal sends the photographing command to theaircraft. The aircraft performs photographing in a target photographingregion according to the photographing command. Multimedia obtainedthrough photographing is stored in a storage device of the aircraft. Themultimedia obtained through photographing includes a video and a photo.

Step 3106: Store the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier, and synchronize themultimedia data to the first mobile terminal and a second mobileterminal that accesses the multimedia data.

In this embodiment, the first mobile terminal binds an aircraft by usingthe first authorized-user identifier and operates the aircraft toperform photographing. Multimedia data obtained through photographing isstored by using the first authorized-user identifier as an indexidentifier. The multimedia data is stored by using the firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier, so that themultimedia data may be found according to the first authorized-useridentifier. More specifically, the aircraft may store multimedia data ina storage device by using the first authorized-user identifier as anindex identifier. It may be understood that, multimedia data of multiplefirst authorized-user identifiers may be stored in the storage device ofthe aircraft, and each first authorized-user identifier is used as anindex identifier to store multimedia data corresponding to the firstauthorized-user identifier at a different storage location in thestorage device.

Further, in some embodiments, the step of storing the multimedia datafor which the first authorized-user identifier is used as an indexidentifier includes: establishing a corresponding unique index for eachpiece of multimedia data obtained through photographing, andestablishing a media database for the first authorized-user identifier.The media database stores the multimedia data for which the firstauthorized-user identifier is used as an index identifier and thecorresponding index. Specifically, the aircraft may establish, for onepiece of multimedia obtained through photographing each time, an indexcorresponding to the one piece of multimedia. Each piece of multimediahas a unique index. In this way, each piece of multimedia data obtainedthrough photographing may be found by using an index. An index ofmultimedia includes, but is not limited to, a unique sequence number ora result obtained by performing particular transformation (for example,1000 is added before a sequence number) on a unique sequence number or aresult obtained by performing particular algorithm processing on aunique sequence number.

In this embodiment, a first mobile terminal connects to an aircraft byusing a first authorized-user identifier and operates the aircraft tocollect multimedia data in a target photographing region. The aircraftstores the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier, and may synchronize themultimedia data to the first mobile terminal and a second mobileterminal that accesses the multimedia data, so that multimedia can beflexibly synchronized between an aircraft and different multiple mobileterminals.

Further, in some embodiments, the step of synchronizing the multimediadata to the first mobile terminal includes: generating a thumbnailcorresponding to the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier; sending the thumbnail in realtime to the first mobile terminal that currently operates an aircraft;receiving a real-time viewing command of the first mobile terminal forthe thumbnail; and searching for the multimedia data corresponding tothe thumbnail according to the real-time viewing command, andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the first mobile terminal.

In this embodiment, the first mobile terminal sends an operation commandto the aircraft, and may control, according to the operation command,the aircraft to fly, for example, to operate the aircraft to move leftor right or a lens to pitch or the like. The first mobile terminal mayfurther send a photographing command to the aircraft, for example,initiate a photographing command by using a photographing buttonprovided on an application interface on the first mobile terminal. Theaircraft performs photographing according to the photographing commandto obtain multimedia data, generates a thumbnail corresponding to themultimedia data, and may send the thumbnail in real time to the firstmobile terminal to display the thumbnail. Further, the first mobileterminal may receive a real-time viewing command of a user for thedisplayed thumbnail and send the real-time viewing command to theaircraft. The aircraft searches for the multimedia data corresponding tothe thumbnail according to the real-time viewing command andsynchronizes the multimedia data to the first mobile terminal. It may beunderstood that, when the thumbnail is sent to the first mobileterminal, an index corresponding to the multimedia may be sent togetherto the first mobile terminal.

Further, in some embodiments, the step of synchronizing the multimediadata to a second mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia dataincludes: receiving a multimedia viewing command sent by the secondmobile terminal, where the multimedia viewing command carries the firstauthorized-user identifier; and after the first authorized-useridentifier is authenticated, searching for multimedia data by using thefirst authorized-user identifier as an index identifier, andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the second mobile terminal.

In this embodiment, during operation of the aircraft by the first mobileterminal, the second mobile terminal may access the multimedia datastored in the aircraft. Specifically, the second mobile terminal sends amultimedia viewing command to the aircraft, where the multimedia viewingcommand carries the first authorized-user identifier. The aircraftreceives the multimedia viewing command sent by the second mobileterminal, and finds the stored multimedia data by using the firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier. More specifically, anapplication program may be run on the second mobile terminal. The firstauthorized-user identifier is submitted by using the applicationprogram. The first authorized-user identifier is sent to the server byusing a network for authentication. After the first authorized-useridentifier is authenticated, the multimedia viewing command that carriesthe first authorized-user identifier is sent to the aircraft.Alternatively, the first authorized-user identifier is anauthorized-user identifier agreed upon in advance by the aircraft. Thesecond mobile terminal may directly submit the first authorized-useridentifier to the aircraft to view the stored multimedia data. Further,the aircraft may generate a thumbnail of multimedia and an index of eachpiece of multimedia and correspondingly send the thumbnail of multimediaand the index of each piece of multimedia to the second mobile terminal.After receiving the thumbnail and the corresponding index, the firstmobile terminal displays the thumbnail.

As shown in FIG. 32A, during operation of the aircraft by the firstmobile terminal, the second mobile terminal may download a thumbnail anda corresponding index from the aircraft. During downloading, a progressbar 3202 may further be used to display a download progress. As shown inFIG. 32B, the second mobile terminal may display a downloaded thumbnail.A delete button 3204 and an original-picture download button 3206 arefurther provided on an interface for displaying a thumbnail. Withreference to FIG. 32C, each thumbnail may further be viewed after thethumbnail is clicked. A thumbnail 3208 is displayed in a detailedviewing interface of the thumbnail. A download button 3210 is furtherprovided on the detailed viewing interface. A download command fordownloading original multimedia data corresponding to the thumbnail 3208is generated by clicking the download button.

During operation of the aircraft by the first mobile terminal, thesecond mobile terminal may access multimedia data collected by theaircraft operated by the first mobile terminal, so that multimedia canbe synchronized between multiple mobile terminals and the aircraft.

Further, in some embodiments, a download command sent by the secondmobile terminal for at least one thumbnail may further be received,where the download command carries an index corresponding to the atleast one thumbnail, the corresponding multimedia data is searched foraccording to the index corresponding to the thumbnail, and the foundmultimedia data is sent to the second mobile terminal.

In this embodiment, the user may generate a multimedia download commandby selecting a thumbnail. For example, the user clicks at least onethumbnail to choose a thumbnail, and next, clicks a download buttonprovided on a thumbnail display interface to generate a download commandfor the chosen thumbnail. After receiving the multimedia downloadcommand, the aircraft acquires corresponding multimedia data accordingto an index corresponding to the thumbnail and delivers the multimediadata to the second mobile terminal.

In another embodiment, the step of synchronizing the multimedia data toa second mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data includes:receiving a multimedia viewing command sent by the second mobileterminal; and acquiring the first authorized-user identifier submittedby the first mobile terminal that currently operates an aircraft,searching for multimedia data by using the first authorized-useridentifier as an index identifier, and synchronizing the multimedia datato the second mobile terminal.

In this embodiment, the second mobile terminal may not carry any useridentifier, but instead directly connects to the aircraft and sends amultimedia viewing command the aircraft. The aircraft acquires the firstauthorized-user identifier bound to the aircraft. The firstauthorized-user identifier may be an authorized-user identifiersubmitted by the first mobile terminal that is currently connected tothe aircraft and operates the aircraft to perform flight control. If theaircraft is not operated by a mobile terminal, the first authorized-useridentifier may be an authorized-user identifier that is recorded in theaircraft most recently. Further, the aircraft searches for multimediadata by using the first authorized-user identifier as an indexidentifier, and synchronizes the multimedia data to the second mobileterminal. Specifically, the aircraft may generate a thumbnail ofmultimedia and an index of each piece of multimedia and correspondinglysend the thumbnail of multimedia and the index of each piece ofmultimedia to the second mobile terminal. After receiving a thumbnailand a corresponding index, the second mobile terminal displays thethumbnail.

Further, in some embodiments, a download command sent by the secondmobile terminal for at least one thumbnail may further be received,where the download command carries an index corresponding to the atleast one thumbnail, the corresponding multimedia data is searched foraccording to the index corresponding to the thumbnail, and the foundmultimedia data is sent to the second mobile terminal. In thisembodiment, a user may generate a multimedia download command byselecting a thumbnail. For example, the user clicks at least onethumbnail to choose a thumbnail, and next, clicks a download buttonprovided on a thumbnail display interface to generate a download commandfor the chosen thumbnail. After receiving the multimedia downloadcommand, the aircraft acquires corresponding multimedia data accordingto an index corresponding to the thumbnail and delivers the multimediadata to the second mobile terminal.

In this embodiment, regardless of whether an aircraft is being operatedor not, a second mobile terminal does not need to carry any useridentifier, and may directly acquire multimedia data stored in theaircraft, so that it is convenient to share the multimedia data storedin the aircraft, and the multimedia can be flexibly synchronized betweenthe aircraft and multiple mobile terminals.

In another embodiment, the step of synchronizing the multimedia data toa second mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data includes:receiving a multimedia viewing command sent by the second mobileterminal, where the multimedia viewing command carries a secondauthorized-user identifier, acquiring the first authorized-useridentifier that has a friend link with the second authorized-useridentifier, searching for multimedia data by using the firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier, and synchronizing themultimedia data to the second mobile terminal.

In some embodiments, the step of synchronizing the multimedia data to asecond mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data includes:receiving a multimedia viewing command sent by the second mobileterminal, where the multimedia viewing command carries a secondauthorized-user identifier, monitoring whether friend link data existsbetween the first authorized-user identifier submitted by the firstmobile terminal that currently operates an aircraft and the secondauthorized-user identifier, and if friend link data exists, searchingfor multimedia data by using the first authorized-user identifier as anindex identifier, and synchronizing the multimedia data to the secondmobile terminal.

In some embodiments, the aircraft stores a friend link of the firstauthorized-user identifier. After receiving the multimedia viewingcommand of the second mobile terminal, the aircraft may acquire,according to the stored friend link, the first authorized-useridentifier that has a friend link with the second authorized-useridentifier, so as to search for multimedia data by using the firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier, and synchronize themultimedia data to the second mobile terminal.

In some embodiments, the step of synchronizing the multimedia data to asecond mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data includes:receiving a second authorized-user identifier sent by the second mobileterminal; performing authentication on the second authorized-useridentifier, searching a server for at least one first authorized-useridentifier that is stored in an aircraft and has friend link data withthe second authorized-user identifier, sending the found firstauthorized-user identifier to the second mobile terminal, and displayinga multimedia folder of the first authorized-user identifier on anapplication interface of the second mobile terminal; and receiving aviewing command sent by the second mobile terminal for the multimediafolder, writing the viewing command to the first authorized-useridentifier corresponding to the multimedia folder, searching formultimedia data by using the first authorized-user identifier as anindex identifier, and synchronizing the multimedia data to the secondmobile terminal.

Specifically, the second mobile terminal may connect to the aircraft andsend a multimedia viewing command to the aircraft. After receiving thesecond authorized-user identifier, the aircraft acquires, from theserver by using the second mobile terminal, the first authorized-useridentifier that has a friend link with the second authorized-useridentifier, then further searches for stored multimedia data by usingthe acquired first authorized-user identifier as an index identifier,and synchronizes the multimedia data to the second mobile terminal.Further, when acquiring the first authorized-user identifier that has afriend link with the second authorized-user identifier, the aircraft maysend the locally stored first authorized-user identifier to the secondmobile terminal, and present, in a list form, the first authorized-useridentifier that is stored a current time and has a friend link with thesecond authorized-user identifier. As shown in FIG. 32D, relatedinformation of the first authorized-user identifier that is stored inthe aircraft and has a friend link with the second authorized-useridentifier is presented by using a list, and a button 3212 used forviewing multimedia data of a friend is provided on an interface.Multimedia data of friends that is stored in the aircraft may be viewedby clicking the button 3212. Further, the second mobile terminal mayacquire the first authorized-user identifier selected by a user, andsend, to the aircraft, a multimedia viewing command that carries theselected first authorized-user identifier. The aircraft further searchesfor the stored multimedia data by using the selected firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier, and synchronizes themultimedia data to the second mobile terminal.

Specifically, in another embodiment, the aircraft is currently operatedby the first mobile terminal to perform flight control. The secondmobile terminal may connect to the aircraft and send, to the aircraft, amultimedia viewing command that carries the second authorized-useridentifier. The aircraft monitors whether a friend link exists betweenthe second authorized-user identifier and the first authorized-useridentifier. Specifically, when receiving the second authorized-useridentifier, the aircraft may monitor whether a friend link between thefirst authorized-user identifier and the second authorized-useridentifier exists locally. Alternatively, after receiving the secondauthorized-user identifier, the aircraft may send, by using the secondmobile terminal, the first authorized-user identifier and the secondauthorized-user identifier to the server to monitor whether a friendlink exists between the first authorized-user identifier and the secondauthorized-user identifier. Further, when detecting that a friend linkexists between the second authorized-user identifier and the firstauthorized-user identifier, the aircraft may send prompt information tothe second mobile terminal, to prompt that a current user may viewmultimedia data of friends of the user, as shown in FIG. 32E.Furthermore, the second mobile terminal may acquire a multimedia viewingcommand of the user for viewing multimedia data of a friend, and sendthe multimedia viewing command to the aircraft. The aircraft searchesfor multimedia data by using the first authorized-user identifier as anindex identifier, and synchronizes the multimedia data to the secondmobile terminal. Specifically, the aircraft may generate a thumbnail ofmultimedia and an index of each piece of multimedia and correspondinglysend the thumbnail of multimedia and the index of each piece ofmultimedia to the second mobile terminal. After receiving a thumbnailand a corresponding index, the second mobile terminal displays thethumbnail.

Further, in some embodiments, the aircraft may further receive adownload command sent by the second mobile terminal for at least onethumbnail. The download command carries an index corresponding to the atleast one thumbnail. The aircraft searches for the correspondingmultimedia data according to the index corresponding to the thumbnail.The aircraft sends the found multimedia data to the second mobileterminal.

The friend link includes, but is not limited to, a friend relationshipin an instant messaging application, a follower relationship or alistener relationship in a social networking application, and the like.

In this embodiment, a second mobile terminal may access, by using asecond authorized-user identifier that has a friend link with a firstauthorized-user identifier, multimedia data stored in an aircraft, sothat the multimedia data in the aircraft not only can be synchronizedamong multiple mobile terminals, but also can be shared between friendsin an instantly communication application, followers or listeners in asocial networking application, and the like, so that a novel multimediasynchronization manner is provided.

In some embodiments, the multimedia synchronization method furtherincludes: receiving a multimedia synchronization command sent by thefirst mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal; acquiringmultimedia data in the first mobile terminal or the second mobileterminal, and comparing the multimedia data in the first mobile terminalor the second mobile terminal with multimedia data locally stored in anaircraft; and if a comparison result is that the multimedia data in thefirst mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal is inconsistent withthe multimedia data locally stored in the aircraft, synchronizing, tothe first mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal, the multimediadata locally stored in the aircraft.

Specifically, in some embodiments, the multimedia synchronizationcommand may be automatically sent to the aircraft when the first mobileterminal or the second mobile terminal sends a multimedia viewingcommand to the aircraft, or may be a synchronization command generatedafter a prompt box is popped up to prompt a user each time when thefirst mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal connects to theaircraft and a confirmation command of the user is acquired. In anapplication scenario, by using any mobile terminal, the user may viewthe multimedia data stored in the aircraft and may perform an editoperation on the multimedia data in the aircraft, for example, delete oradd a multimedia picture or video. When connecting to the aircraftagain, the first mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal may sendthe multimedia synchronization command the aircraft. After receiving themultimedia synchronization command, the aircraft compares the multimediadata in the first mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal withmultimedia data stored a current time in the aircraft; and if acomparison result is that the multimedia data in the first mobileterminal or the second mobile terminal is inconsistent with themultimedia data stored a current time in the aircraft, synchronize, tothe first mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal, the multimediadata locally stored in the aircraft.

In another application scenario, in a process in which the first mobileterminal operates the aircraft to perform flight control and collectmultimedia data in a target photographing region, the first mobileterminal may view the multimedia data obtained through photographing bythe aircraft, and may perform an edit operation on multimedia datacorresponding to the first authorized-user identifier, for example,delete multimedia data. As discussed above, during operation of theaircraft by the first mobile terminal, the second mobile terminal mayview the multimedia data stored in the aircraft, and send the multimediasynchronization command to the aircraft, so as to update, to the secondmobile terminal, the multimedia data updated in the aircraft.

More specifically, the aircraft may receive an index that is ofmultimedia and is uploaded by the first mobile terminal or the secondmobile terminal, compare the index with an index locally stored in theaircraft, and if a comparison result is that the index is inconsistentwith the index locally stored in the aircraft, update the index storedin the terminal according to the index locally stored in the aircraft,so that the index that is of multimedia and is stored in the firstmobile terminal or the second mobile terminal can be consistent with theindex stored in the aircraft, so as to synchronize, to the first mobileterminal or the second mobile terminal, the multimedia data locallystored in an aircraft.

In another embodiment, the multimedia synchronization command mayfurther be an edit operation command for multimedia data stored in thefirst mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal, for example, adelete command and an add command. In this embodiment, when an editoperation is performed on the multimedia data stored in the first mobileterminal or the second mobile terminal, a multimedia synchronizationcommand may be sent to the aircraft connected to the first mobileterminal or the second mobile terminal, and the first mobile terminal orthe second mobile terminal may synchronize the local multimedia data tothe aircraft.

A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand that all or some ofthe steps in the methods of the foregoing embodiments may be implementedby a computer program instructing relevant hardware. The program may bestored in a computer-readable storage medium. When the program is run,the procedures of the embodiments of the foregoing method are performed.The storage medium may be a non-volatile storage medium such as amagnetic disk, an optical disk, and a Read-Only Memory (ROM), a RandomAccess Memory (RAM), or the like.

The technical features of the foregoing embodiments may be arbitrarilycombined. For simplicity of description, all possible combinations ofthe technical features in the foregoing embodiments are described.However, it should be considered that these combinations of technicalfeatures fall within the scope recorded in this specification as long asno contradiction exists in these combinations of technical features.

The foregoing embodiments only describe several implementation mannersof the present disclosure, and their description is specific anddetailed, but cannot therefore be understood as a limitation to thepatent scope of the present disclosure. It should be noted that a personof ordinary skill in the art may further make variations andimprovements without departing from the conception of the presentdisclosure, and these all fall within the protection scope of thepresent disclosure. Therefore, the patent protection scope of thepresent disclosure should be subject to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A multimedia synchronization method performed byan aircraft having one or more processors and memory for storing aplurality of instructions to be executed by the one or more processors,wherein the aircraft is wirelessly connected to a plurality of mobileterminals, the method comprising: receiving a first authorized-useridentifier sent by a first mobile terminal; receiving an aircraftoperation command and a photographing command sent by the first mobileterminal; performing aircraft flight control according to the aircraftoperation command, and collecting multimedia data in a targetphotographing region according to the photographing command; storing themultimedia data for which the first authorized-user identifier is usedas an index identifier; and synchronizing the multimedia data to thefirst mobile terminal and a second mobile terminal that accesses themultimedia data.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein theoperation of storing the multimedia data for which the firstauthorized-user identifier is used as an index identifier comprises:establishing a corresponding unique index for each piece of multimediadata obtained through photographing; and establishing a media databasefor the first authorized-user identifier, wherein the media databasestores the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier and the corresponding index.3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operation ofsynchronizing the multimedia data to the first mobile terminalcomprises: generating a thumbnail corresponding to the multimedia datafor which the first authorized-user identifier is used as an indexidentifier; sending the thumbnail in real time to the first mobileterminal that currently operates an aircraft; receiving a real-timeviewing command of the first mobile terminal for the thumbnail; andsearching for the multimedia data corresponding to the thumbnailaccording to the real-time viewing command, and synchronizing themultimedia data to the first mobile terminal.
 4. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the operation of synchronizing the multimedia data to asecond mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data comprises:receiving a multimedia viewing command sent by the second mobileterminal, wherein the multimedia viewing command carries the firstauthorized-user identifier; and after the first authorized-useridentifier is authenticated, searching for multimedia data by using thefirst authorized-user identifier as an index identifier, andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the second mobile terminal.
 5. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the operation of synchronizing themultimedia data to a second mobile terminal that accesses the multimediadata comprises: receiving a multimedia viewing command sent by thesecond mobile terminal; and acquiring the first authorized-useridentifier submitted by the first mobile terminal that currentlyoperates an aircraft, searching for multimedia data by using the firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier, and synchronizing themultimedia data to the second mobile terminal.
 6. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein the operation of synchronizing the multimedia datato a second mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data comprises:receiving a multimedia viewing command sent by the second mobileterminal, wherein the multimedia viewing command carries a secondauthorized-user identifier; and monitoring whether friend link dataexists between the first authorized-user identifier submitted by thefirst mobile terminal that currently operates an aircraft and the secondauthorized-user identifier, and if friend link data exists, searchingfor multimedia data by using the first authorized-user identifier as anindex identifier, and synchronizing the multimedia data to the secondmobile terminal.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein theoperation of synchronizing the multimedia data to a second mobileterminal that accesses the multimedia data comprises: receiving a secondauthorized-user identifier sent by the second mobile terminal;performing authentication on the second authorized-user identifier,searching a server for at least one first authorized-user identifierthat is stored in an aircraft and has friend link data with the secondauthorized-user identifier, sending the found first authorized-useridentifier to the second mobile terminal, and displaying a multimediafolder of the first authorized-user identifier on an applicationinterface of the second mobile terminal; and receiving a viewing commandsent by the second mobile terminal for the multimedia folder, writingthe viewing command to the first authorized-user identifiercorresponding to the multimedia folder, searching for multimedia data byusing the first authorized-user identifier as an index identifier, andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the second mobile terminal.
 8. Themethod according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving a multimediasynchronization command sent by the first mobile terminal or the secondmobile terminal; comparing multimedia data in the first mobile terminalor the second mobile terminal with multimedia data locally stored in anaircraft; and in accordance with a determination that the multimediadata in the first mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal isinconsistent with the multimedia data locally stored in the aircraft,synchronizing, to the first mobile terminal or the second mobileterminal, the multimedia data locally stored in the aircraft.
 9. Anaircraft comprising: one or more processors; memory; and a plurality ofcomputer readable instructions stored in the memory, wherein thecomputer readable instructions, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the one or more processors to perform the followingoperations: receiving a first authorized-user identifier sent by a firstmobile terminal; receiving an aircraft operation command and aphotographing command sent by the first mobile terminal; performingaircraft flight control according to the aircraft operation command, andcollecting multimedia data in a target photographing region according tothe photographing command; storing the multimedia data for which thefirst authorized-user identifier is used as an index identifier; andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the first mobile terminal and asecond mobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data.
 10. Theaircraft according to claim 9, wherein the operation of storing themultimedia data for which the first authorized-user identifier is usedas an index identifier comprises: establishing a corresponding uniqueindex for each piece of multimedia data obtained through photographing;and establishing a media database for the first authorized-useridentifier, wherein the media database stores the multimedia data forwhich the first authorized-user identifier is used as an indexidentifier and the corresponding index.
 11. The aircraft according toclaim 9, wherein the operation of synchronizing the multimedia data tothe first mobile terminal comprises: generating a thumbnailcorresponding to the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier; sending the thumbnail in realtime to the first mobile terminal that currently operates an aircraft;receiving a real-time viewing command of the first mobile terminal forthe thumbnail; and searching for the multimedia data corresponding tothe thumbnail according to the real-time viewing command, andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the first mobile terminal.
 12. Theaircraft according to claim 9, wherein the operation of synchronizingthe multimedia data to a second mobile terminal that accesses themultimedia data comprises: receiving a multimedia viewing command sentby the second mobile terminal, wherein the multimedia viewing commandcarries the first authorized-user identifier; and after the firstauthorized-user identifier is authenticated, searching for multimediadata by using the first authorized-user identifier as an indexidentifier, and synchronizing the multimedia data to the second mobileterminal.
 13. The aircraft according to claim 9, wherein the operationof synchronizing the multimedia data to a second mobile terminal thataccesses the multimedia data comprises: receiving a multimedia viewingcommand sent by the second mobile terminal; and acquiring the firstauthorized-user identifier submitted by the first mobile terminal thatcurrently operates an aircraft, searching for multimedia data by usingthe first authorized-user identifier as an index identifier, andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the second mobile terminal.
 14. Theaircraft according to claim 9, wherein the operation of synchronizingthe multimedia data to a second mobile terminal that accesses themultimedia data comprises: receiving a multimedia viewing command sentby the second mobile terminal, wherein the multimedia viewing commandcarries a second authorized-user identifier; and monitoring whetherfriend link data exists between the first authorized-user identifiersubmitted by the first mobile terminal that currently operates anaircraft and the second authorized-user identifier, and if friend linkdata exists, searching for multimedia data by using the firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier, and synchronizing themultimedia data to the second mobile terminal.
 15. The aircraftaccording to claim 9, wherein the operation of synchronizing themultimedia data to a second mobile terminal that accesses the multimediadata comprises: receiving a second authorized-user identifier sent bythe second mobile terminal; performing authentication on the secondauthorized-user identifier, searching a server for at least one firstauthorized-user identifier that is stored in an aircraft and has friendlink data with the second authorized-user identifier, sending the foundfirst authorized-user identifier to the second mobile terminal, anddisplaying a multimedia folder of the first authorized-user identifieron an application interface of the second mobile terminal; and receivinga viewing command sent by the second mobile terminal for the multimediafolder, writing the viewing command to the first authorized-useridentifier corresponding to the multimedia folder, searching formultimedia data by using the first authorized-user identifier as anindex identifier, and synchronizing the multimedia data to the secondmobile terminal.
 16. The aircraft according to claim 9, wherein theoperations further comprise: receiving a multimedia synchronizationcommand sent by the first mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal;comparing multimedia data in the first mobile terminal or the secondmobile terminal with multimedia data locally stored in an aircraft; andin accordance with a determination that the multimedia data in the firstmobile terminal or the second mobile terminal is inconsistent with themultimedia data locally stored in the aircraft, synchronizing, to thefirst mobile terminal or the second mobile terminal, the multimedia datalocally stored in the aircraft.
 17. A non-transitory computer-readablestorage medium storing instructions, the instructions, when executed byan aircraft having one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessors to perform a plurality of operations including: receiving afirst authorized-user identifier sent by a first mobile terminal;receiving an aircraft operation command and a photographing command sentby the first mobile terminal; performing aircraft flight controlaccording to the aircraft operation command, and collecting multimediadata in a target photographing region according to the photographingcommand; storing the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier; and synchronizing themultimedia data to the first mobile terminal and a second mobileterminal that accesses the multimedia data.
 18. The non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium according to claim 17, wherein theoperation of storing the multimedia data for which the firstauthorized-user identifier is used as an index identifier comprises:establishing a corresponding unique index for each piece of multimediadata obtained through photographing; and establishing a media databasefor the first authorized-user identifier, wherein the media databasestores the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier and the corresponding index.19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according toclaim 17, wherein the operation of synchronizing the multimedia data tothe first mobile terminal comprises: generating a thumbnailcorresponding to the multimedia data for which the first authorized-useridentifier is used as an index identifier; sending the thumbnail in realtime to the first mobile terminal that currently operates an aircraft;receiving a real-time viewing command of the first mobile terminal forthe thumbnail; and searching for the multimedia data corresponding tothe thumbnail according to the real-time viewing command, andsynchronizing the multimedia data to the first mobile terminal.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 17,wherein the operation of synchronizing the multimedia data to a secondmobile terminal that accesses the multimedia data comprises: receiving amultimedia viewing command sent by the second mobile terminal, whereinthe multimedia viewing command carries the first authorized-useridentifier; and after the first authorized-user identifier isauthenticated, searching for multimedia data by using the firstauthorized-user identifier as an index identifier, and synchronizing themultimedia data to the second mobile terminal.